Hanging Ten
by The Writer with No Name
Summary: As summer starts at Surfer's Paradise, a sixth grom joins, making friends with the groms, except for Lo, but as strange creatures start showing up, they begin to wonder: what is Ben Tennyson hiding? Gradual Ben/Lo, some ReefFin. AU Stoked S1, S2-3 B10:AF
1. Dear Maria, Count Me In

_Disclaimer: Ben 10 and all related characters are property of Man of Action and Cartoon Network; Stoked and all related characters are property of Fresh TV. I am making no money from this story, which was written solely for my enjoyment; please don't sue. Enjoy!_

CHAPTER ONE: DEAR MARIA, COUNT ME IN

_Surfer's Paradise Resort, Sunset Beach, B.C., June 28, 2010_

The noon sun was high over Sunset Beach, its rays glinting off the crystal windows of the Surfer's Paradise Resort, gleaming the blue of a perfect break. On the main floor, guests came to and from the hotel, while the new summer staff scrambled to accommodate them.

As a family of three headed out of the hotel, they passed by a young man of 16, clad in blue jeans, a black t-shirt, and a green jacket, carrying a green-black duffel bag over his shoulder…with a green-black watch clasped to his right wrist, its face replaced by the image of a green, black-outlined hourglass-crest. Walking towards the hotel, the young man spotted one of the bellhops, a dark-complexioned young man, around the same age as him, with bright yellow hair in an afro-style, clad in a gold-rimmed, purple t-shirt, with matching yellow-flower-print purple shorts – obviously the staff uniform.

Looking up from his luggage cart, the bellhop grinned. "Check-in's just through there, bro."

"Thanks," the young man answered, "but I'm here for a job interview."

"Sweet," the bellhop said. "Just go talk to Bummer; he'll ring you in."

"Bummer?"

The bellhop sighed. "Andrew Baumer, the manager; trust me, dude, you'll get why he's called that when you meet him."

"Guess I will." Hefting his duffel bag back over his shoulder, the young man turned to go. "See you around."

"Likewise, bro; hope your first day doesn't suck as much as ours did."

The guy laughed, though it didn't _quite_ reach his eyes. "Trust me, pal; it _can't_ be more of a hassle than my _last_ job."

XXXXXXXX

"_What?_"

In his office at his family's penthouse home, 46-year-old James Ridgemount – the owner of the hotel and all others in its chain – frowned to himself as he sat behind his desk, keeping his eyes on the newspaper. "You heard me, young lady," he said sternly. "After this little party of yours, you're cut off; your spa privileges, your credit cards, and your keys to the penthouse are all _off-limits_ until you can prove yourself to me. You'll be _working_ for your spending money, this summer."

Standing across from his desk, in her light yellow sundress, complemented by her necklace and single-pearl earrings, her long, chestnut locks held back by her favourite tropical wildflower hair-clip, her indigo eyes – so very much like her mother's – widened in surprised hurt, his 15-year-old daughter, Lauren – or "Lo," as she'd taken to calling herself – lightly whimpered. "But…but Daddy…" she pouted, "…I…I _need_ the summer off, to decompress from all the studying!" She managed her adorable little smile, the one that had often let her have her way. "Couldn't we all just sit on this and talk about it, tomorrow?"

For a moment, she almost fooled him. '_I'm a bad father,_' he reflected, remembering all the times he'd let her practically get away with _murder_…but that stopped, right now. '_I'm sorry, sweetheart, but this is for your own good._' "There's nothing to talk about, Lauren; you're moving into the staff house, _tonight._"

"But Daddy…"

"_No buts._"

Before Lauren could plead further, James' intercom switched on. "_Mr. Ridgemount, sir?_" came Andrew Baumer's voice. "_I hate to bother you, sir, but there's a young man who says he's your 2:00 appointment…_"

'_2:00…oh, that must be Max's grandson!_' "Green jacket and brown hair?"

"_Yes, sir._"

"That's him, Andrew; send him up." Switching off the intercom, James looked back to his daughter. "This subject is closed, young lady; I suggest you go get ready. You start work, tomorrow." With that, he looked back to his paperwork.

In a mild state of shock, Lo turned around, and started to walk out. '_Okay…I knew it was probably gonna be bad…I'm a Ridgemount, I can handle this…_' A terrible thought occurred to her. "But Daddy, I haven't even had time to pack!"

"Already taken care of, Lauren."

That reply came just as the door opened…with her _supposedly_ faithful maid Rosie on the other side, loading several of her suitcases onto a cart. "_What?_" she screeched. "You…you _knew?_ Why did you let me waste so much time cleaning everything up?"

The plump, dark-skinned woman shrugged. "I don't want to live in a pig-sty."

Practically boiling with fury, Lo was about to let loose when the elevator door opened, and out walked 20-year-old Smug Incarnate Andrew Baumer, his dyed-pale-blond hair cut immaculately short, and with not a thread out of place on his uniform t-shirt and black slacks. Following behind him was his unofficial second-in-command, Johnny, the Front Desk Guy, in his usual uniform shirt and shorts. "Okay," Johnny hazarded, "I'm guessing this is the luggage that needs moving to the staff house."

Andrew nodded. "I'll let you get to it, Johnny," he said, walking into the office, before grinning evilly at Lo. "And as for you, Ms. Ridgemount, I think you'll be needing this." With that, he dropped a gold-coloured name-tag into her hand. "Punch-in's at 7:30 sharp."

Lo went pale. "In…in the _morning?_"

Savouring every second, Andrew nodded. "You'd better show up 15 minutes earlier, so your supervisor can give you a run-down on the DR."

Lo struggled to speak. "The…the DR?"

Johnny smiled sheepishly. "That's the Dining Room," he supplied. "You know, the pirate ship?"

'_I have to work in the Dining Room? In one of those tacky wench-outfits?_' Lo mentally wailed. Hearing Rosie start to chuckle, Lo whirled on her treacherous maid. "Shut up, you _traitor!_" she snapped, walking out of her father's office. "You can just _forget_ about that pedicure!"

_CLUNK!_

Colliding with something in mid-step, Lo let out a mild shriek as she went sprawling, landing flat on her rear. "_Oww…_" she whined, brushing a few strands of hair out of her eyes to see what she'd hit…or _who_, she quickly amended.

Her unfortunate target was a young man, close to her own age, maybe a tiny bit older, with a tall, lean-yet-athletic frame, short, dark brown hair, and piercing, emerald-green eyes, wearing blue jeans, a black t-shirt, and a green jacket, with the number 10 emblazoned on the left side, right over his heart.

Under normal circumstances, Lo would have labelled the newcomer as a 'cutie'…but she was _way_ too ticked. "_Excuse_ me!" she snapped. "Try watching where you're going!"

Startled green eyes quickly met hers…before narrowing. "Excuse _yourself_, princess," he shot back. "I'm not the one who needs a sense of direction, around here."

As both the most popular girl in her school and the daughter of the richest man in the province, if not the country, Lo was accustomed to a certain amount of deference, especially from the opposite sex…so getting sassed _back_ was utterly _unheard of._ "Do…do you know who I _am?_" she shrieked. "I am James Ridgemount's _daughter!_ I'll have your _job!_"

The guy snorted. "Yeah, and I'm an intergalactic warlord," he retorted. "Besides, I don't even _work_ here yet, and you're not exactly a selling-point."

Lo was positively _dumbstruck_ at that. "_Uuurrggh!_" she screeched, standing up. "I am _so_ out of here!" With that, she stormed into the elevator, letting the doors shut behind her.

Rosie chuckled. "Oh, yeah; he'll fit right in."

"Yes, whoopty-doo," Andrew muttered, fixing a stern eye at the newcomer. "Mr. Ridgemount will see you, now," he added, his expression clearly saying, '_You just make one wrong move, buster, 'cause I'm watching you…_'

"Why, you must be Benjamin!" James greeted, waving Andrew and Rosie away. "Max has told me so much about you!"

Smiling sheepishly, Ben Tennyson walked over to shake his hand. "Pleasure to meet you, sir!" he replied. "I just hope Grandpa didn't tell you _everything…_"

James laughed. "Don't worry too much, son; trying to get secrets out of Max Tennyson is like trying to get the Titanic out of the water." His smile grew wry. "I see you've already met Lauren."

Ben blinked. "Wait…that girl really _was_ your kid?" James nodded. "I'm fired, aren't I?"

James laughed. "Over a little accident?" he asked. "Could've happened to anyone, son; besides, my daughter needs a little sense knocked into her." He gestured to the other chair. "Please, take a seat." Ben did so. "Now, Max told me you were looking for a summer job?"

Ben's smile wavered. "That's…not exactly how he put it to me, sir," he said. "I kinda…already _had_ a job, but it was pretty stressful, and the pay wasn't anything to write home about. He figured I should start saving up for college, and asked if I thought I should take a break."

Which had really translated to, "_You'd better agree, buster, or I'll guilt-trip you into saying yes…and don't think I won't get your parents in on it, either._"

"Smart man!" James agreed. "Well, a referral from an old space-dog like Max is pretty much worth its weight in gold; we still have one bellhop position open. If you want it, it's yours."

"I'd appreciate that, sir."

"Good. I'll have your contract ready by the end of the day," James said. "In the meantime, you should go talk to Jonathan in the lobby; he'll get you up to speed."

"I will, sir," Ben answered. "You won't regret this!" He started to go.

"One last thing," James said, stopping Ben. "You said your last job was stressful; what was it?"

Ben's smile turned a bit strained. "I was a Plumber-in-training."

"Huh," James said to himself. "I didn't know plumbers took apprentices that young."

Ben laughed dryly. "Sir, you don't know the _half_ of it," he replied, before heading out, leaving James to his paperwork.

XXXXXXXX

After emerging from the elevator, Ben found himself back in the lobby. Looking around, he spotted, the dark-skinned, goateed guy that had hauled around that bratty girl's luggage. Walking towards him, Ben smiled. "I'm guessing you're my new supervisor."

The guy smiled back. "New bellhop, right?" he asked. He extended his hand. "Johnny St. James; Front Desk Guy."

Ben shook it. "Ben Tennyson; bellhop, apparently."

"Welcome aboard." Johnny gestured to the lobby, as they walked by the huge fish-tank. "Being a bellhop is kind of a no-brainer; be nice to the guests, be careful with the luggage, room-service, that sort of thing. The hourly wage isn't great, but the tip-potential more than covers it."

"Good to know," Ben answered. "This place get busy?"

"At times, especially when the waves start coming in; with Gromfest coming up, this place'll be packed." He arched an eyebrow. "You a surfer?"

"Nah," Ben said. "Never had the right neighbourhood; might give it a try, though."

"Inland province?"

"State, actually," Ben corrected. "My grandpa helped me pick up a work visa for the summer."

That was a white lie; Plumbers – and cadets – were granted full autonomy while on patrol or cases. Grandpa Max had just tweaked the rules a _tiny_ bit, or so he'd told Ben.

"Ah, a neighbour to the south," Johnny said. "Well, you won't find a better surf locale on _either_ side of the border, my man." He sighed. "That's pretty much all you need to know, so take the rest of the day; Lord knows you won't be getting many more. I just need to help Ms. Ridgemount get settled into the staff house."

"The big guy's daughter, right?"

Johnny nodded. "Yep; Lo Ridgemount, Mr. R's little princess, until last night."

Ben whistled. "I _really_ know how to step in it, don't I?"

Johnny laughed. "Are you kidding? Up until now, she's had the entire staff running crazy, trying to clean this place up! Half the senior staff has been _dying_ to tell her off! You are officially my new _hero_, man!"

Ben groaned. "Fat load of good that'll do me when she gets me fired."

"I wouldn't worry about that, man; she'll be too busy in the DR. The big guy's making her work, this summer."

Ben arched an eyebrow. "Why? What'd she do?"

"Threw an end-of-school party that trashed the hotel, annoyed the guests, totalled the penthouse, got the RCMP involved, and put her new Jeep in the pool."

Ben's eyes went wide. "Wow. My mom _warned_ me about girls like her."

"Yeah. Like I said, she's got _other_ things to worry about."

"I guess," Ben agreed idly. Still, he had to admit, bratty or not, she'd been a stone-cold _fox…_

'_Don't even go there, Tennyson; didn't the Julie incident teach you anything?_'

As his eyes happened to glance at his wrist, Johnny arched an eyebrow. "Cool watch."

Reflexively sticking his hand in his pocket, Ben grinned. "Thanks!" he said quickly. "It's kind of a…specialty item."

Fortunately, Johnny hadn't noticed his reaction. "Lobby hours run from 8:00 AM to 7:00 PM," he said. "We're scheduled two 15-minute breaks, but between check-ins, they can end up being longer, so it can get idle, sometimes…"

"_Whoooohooo!_"

Johnny was interrupted as the other bellhop – the guy Ben had met at the entrance – rushed past on a luggage cart, using it as a makeshift scooter, while a guy in a killer-whale costume waddled after him. "Come on, man! I want to try!" the mascot whined.

Johnny covered his face with his hand. "And we all know what idle hands are," he groaned. "You'd better head to the staff-house and settle in; good luck." Exasperated, he turned to the two joy-riders. "Broseph! Wipeout!" he shouted. "Didn't I just _say_ not to use the luggage carts as scooters?"

Walking off, Ben took his hand out of his pocket, taking a look at the watch. He'd almost forgotten about the Omnitrix, he reflected; the alien device had become such a big part of his life, he almost thought of it as part of his arm. Plus, everyone he knew back home had been so used to seeing him with it, nobody noticed, anymore…except Gwen and Kevin, who knew about it. '_I'd better be careful with it, around here,_' he thought; it wouldn't do to have locals drawing connections between the newcomer and a bunch of strange creatures that started popping up.

Besides, Grandpa Max had asked him to hold off on using it, if at all possible.

Shaking his head, Ben cleared his thoughts. '_Easy, Tennyson; you're just here to work, relax, and maybe pick up a few surfing lessons,_' he told himself, walking off. '_Just a nice, normal summer; that's all. No looking for trouble._'

Of course, he'd never _needed_ to look for trouble, before; it had always known where to find _him…_

XXXXXXXX

_Surfer's Paradise Staff House_

A pungent breeze filled the air as a forlorn Emma Mackenzie walked down the patio stairs of the run-down old beach house; clad in her light pink short-shorts and light rose t-shirt, the tall, slim, 16-year-old redhead suppressed a sigh as she lugged her laundry down the stairs, towards the Laundromat. With any luck, no-one would notice…

"_Man,_ what _reeks?_"

Emma forced down a sob as she saw Fin McCloud – ultra-cool surf-chick Fin – walk out of the beach house, with Reef following, both carrying their surf-boards. Like Emma, Fin was 16, tall and slim, but unlike her, she had a perfect tan, her sunny blond hair cut short, stopping just short of boy-style but still stylish, clad in a yellow-and-violet tankini. Reef, also 16, had opted for his black swim-trunks, the sun catching off his lightly tanned abs, along with his chest-tattoo, as he absently ran his free hand through his red-brown hair…while he and Fin argued over who was the better surfer.

It wasn't Emma, that was for sure.

Glancing up, Fin smiled. "Hey, Alberta, you coming?" she asked. "I could always use a hand showing this kook what's what!"

Reef snorted. "As if, betty!"

Emma managed a faint smile. "Sorry," she replied. "Laundry-duty."

"Bummer." Fin turned towards the beach. "Anyway, catch you later!"

Reef grinned. "Bet I catch more waves than you."

"Oh, you are so _on!_"

As the two of them headed off, Emma sighed sadly. '_At this rate, I'll never learn to surf…_'

"I'm guessing this is the staff-house, right?"

Looking up from her laundry, Emma spotted a new guy, close to her age, standing at the bottom of the stairs. "Yeah," she answered. "You working here, too?"

"Just got hired on," the guy answered, walking up towards her, his hand extended. "I'm…" He stopped in mid-breath, his eyes going wide. "_Holy_ Mother of…what's that _stink?_" he gasped, tugging his jacket over his nose. "Did a sewer-line break around here, or something?"

Now Emma _really_ wanted to cry. "_Worse!_" she wailed. "My roommate is a _skunk!_"

The guy grimaced. "Ouch." He managed a faint smile. "Hey…at least you can only go _up_ from here, right?"

Emma sniffled, trying to smile back. "I…I guess…"

The guy's smile grew, as he extended his hand again. "Ben Tennyson."

Emma shook it. "Emma Mackenzie," she answered. "So, you plan on doing any surfing?"

"I hope so," Ben answered, "as soon as I can figure out how; I'm kinda new at it."

Emma beamed. "Really? Me, too!"

Ben laughed. "Good to know I'm not the _only_ one around here with no idea what he's doing!"

Now it was Emma's turn to laugh. "Hey, maybe we can take lessons, or something!" she suggested, before sighing. "After I get rid of this skunk-stank…"

"Sounds like a plan," Ben agreed. "Good luck."

"Thanks," Emma answered, as she walked down, noticing Ben's wrist as she did. "Hey, cool watch!"

Ben's smile faltered, stuffing his hand in his pocket. "Uh, thanks," he said. "Well, I guess I'd better go get settled in…" With that, he hurried upstairs.

Shrugging to herself, Emma continued on her way; Ben seemed nice…if a little on the weird side. Still, that wasn't her biggest concern; keeping her job was. After today's series of screw-ups, she'd be lucky if she wasn't fired.

That thought quickly brought her down, again. This was _supposed_ to be the best summer ever, now that she had a chance to go surfing…but she didn't even have any money for lessons.

She just didn't know what to do…

XXXXXXXX

"Hey, what's happenin', dude?"

After stashing his stuff in the guys' room at the staff house – the briefs tossed haphazardly on the floor had been a dead giveaway – and changing into his black swim-shorts, Ben had found his way down to the beach, making a brief stop at the Surf Shack, run by the old surf-dude known as The Kahuna. Presently, the 40-something, yellow-haired, yellow-bearded guy in swim trunks and Hawaiian-print hippie-shirt was rummaging through the shop's supply of surfboards, but his head quickly popped out from behind an old wooden one as Ben had walked in. "Uh…just looking for a board," Ben said.

"Oh, a new grom, huh? Far out!"

Ben blinked. "Uh…_what?_"

"Grom, kiddo; a rookie surfer," The Kahuna explained. He darted back into his stock. "Let's see…hey, how 'bout this one?"

The Kahuna quickly pulled out a large, red-and-blue-striped board with an aft ventral fin. "Hmmm…nah, not my style," Ben thought aloud. "How about that one?"

Following Ben's gesture, The Kahuna took down a neon-green, freestyle board. "Hey, nice eye!" he approved, before casting a more critical eye over it. "Still…it's missing something…"

Ben arched an eyebrow. "…like a black racing stripe and an hourglass decal?"

"Dude, that would be _gnarly!_" The Kahuna exclaimed. "I'm expecting a shipment of waterproof, eco-friendly design paint in a couple weeks; if you can wait…"

"I can wait; I plan on working at the resort over the summer," Ben answered. "So, how much?"

The Kahuna raised a hand. "No need to worry, little dude; any surfer workin' at Surfer's Paradise under the B-Man's thumb gets a 30-day free trial," he answered, extending his hand. "Just promise you'll shred some awesome waves with her."

Ben grinned. "I'll see what I can do." With that, he shook the offered hand.

The second his palm connected, The Kahuna's easygoing smile vanished, his eyes going wide, before narrowing, as if studying Ben…before widening again. "_Whoa…_" he murmured, withdrawing his hand. "No offence, little pal, but you got some _seriously_ freaky mojo hangin' around you; your aura's _way_ out of whack. It's like there's _ten_ auras all mixed up with it." The Kahuna looked again. "No…_more…_"

Ben arched an eyebrow…until he realized that the hand The Kahuna had shaken had been the one with the Omnitrix. He chuckled nervously. "Hey, that's probably just…jet-lag, or something!"

The Kahuna started to relax. "Sure hope so, dude; that kind of funky karma usually means trouble." He smiled again. "You just take care, now, and happy shredding!"

"I will! Thanks!" Taking his new board, Ben hurried out, onto the beach.

Walking towards the shoreline, Ben happened to see another surfer shredding across a huge wave with effortless ease, gliding right up to the whitecap to execute a perfect flip.

Ben gulped. '_Baby steps first, Tennyson; jumping head-first into the deep-end will end badly._' Glancing towards the stand where the surf-instructor was supposed to be, he groaned as he saw that the hours were for earlier in the day. '_Oh, well; might as well give it a try,_' he thought, wading into the ocean. '_Okay…just a couple of little baby waves…just to get my balance…_' Hopping stomach down onto his board, he paddled out into the blue.

Once he was far enough away, amongst waves just a couple inches high – perfect for trying to find his balance – Ben started to stand up. '_Okay, Tennyson…you used to ride a hover-board when you were 10; this should be like riding a bike…_'

Slowly, he planted his feet on the board, starting to inch himself up; he grimaced as a tiny wave passed him, almost making him tumble, but he kept himself aloft. '_I did it! I'm up!_' he mentally exulted. '_This isn't so bad…_'

He happened to glance over his shoulder…and his good mood instantly died, as he saw a _gi-normous_ wave bearing straight at him. '_Oh, CRAP!_' Desperately, he tried to dart back down and paddle away, but it was too late; the wave rushed into him, upending his board and sending him tumbling into the drink, before roaring towards the shore, taking him with it.

Seconds after hitting him, the wave broke upon the sand, depositing Ben face-down on the beach, his board washing up right next to him. Groaning, Ben flipped himself over, staring up at the sun. "_Ow._"

A feminine laugh answered his pitiful moan. "You okay?" Blinking, Ben tried to sit up…and fell back down on the sand, as a gold-headed female, clad in a yellow-violet tankini, carrying a yellow surfboard, looked down at him, trying not to laugh. "I saw your little wipe-out."

Ben coughed. "Yeah, that was me," he sputtered. "That one snuck up on me."

The girl laughed. "They kinda do that, if you don't know what you're doing."

Ben sighed. '_Great; first day here, and half the beach probably thinks I'm a loser._' "There a surf-term for something like that?"

"Getting worked."

Ben groaned again. "I'm also guessing there's a term for a total surf goofball."

The girl chuckled. "Right, again!" she confirmed. "Kook."

"Good a word as any," Ben muttered. He extended his hand. "Ben Tennyson, hotel bellhop, and apparent residing Kook on Campus."

The girl smiled as she shook it. "Fin McCloud, hotel maid, and residing surf expert." Giving his arm a tug, she helped him up. "I wouldn't call you a kook, though; just a noob," she corrected. "A noob doesn't know any better, that's all; besides, that wasn't the _worst_ wipe-out I've seen. You weren't doing too bad before that wave hit."

"That was the idea," Ben replied. "I figured I'd just cut my teeth on a couple baby waves, until that monster blindsides me."

"Well, there you go!" Fin encouraged. "A kook wouldn't even have _that_ much sense…"

Another laugh interrupted them. "Nice wipe-out, nerdbag!"

Fin's smile dropped into a scowl, as a tall red-brown-haired guy in black shorts, carrying a dark red board, walked up. "Speaking of which…" she muttered under her breath. "Reef, this is Ben; he's working at the hotel, too. Ben, this is a kook."

Reef barely acknowledged the insult. "Ignore the green-eyed betty, bro; she's just jealous of my mad skills…"

Fin glared at him. "As _if!_"

Sensing an argument brewing, Ben spoke up. "So, you're both working at the hotel, too, right?"

"Oh, yeah; I'm the hotel's go-to guy for surf-lessons," Reef said, "which a certain someone just can't get over…"

Fin's expression was positively _murderous_, but she managed to calm herself. "Don't listen to him, Ben; if you ever need lessons, _I'd_ be happy to help," she said. "I think you've been through _enough_ water-based trauma for one week."

Reef frowned. "That supposed to mean something, betty?"

"What do _you_ think, kook?"

"_Slackers!_ Front and center, _now!_"

Reef and Fin both froze as Andrew Baumer – "Bummer" – marched up to them. "You two are hall-sitting for the Marvin Family's suite, this evening!"

Reef groaned. "No _way_, man! We were gonna…"

Fin's elbow to his gut shut him up. "Happy to, sir!" she chirped.

"Good." Bummer then fixed Ben with a wary eye. "And why aren't you in uniform, Tennyson?"

Ben thought fast. "I…haven't signed my contract yet, sir!" he said. "Wouldn't want to start without knowing exactly what I'm doing!"

Bummer scowled. "Fine, then," he muttered, "but I'm _watching_ you, buster." With that, he strode off.

Reef laughed. "Hey, nice save, bro!"

Fin sighed. "Guess we'll have to take a rain check on that lesson."

Ben shrugged. "It happens," he replied. "Good luck."

Fin groaned. "Knowing Bummer, we'll need it." She and Reef headed off. "Catch you later!"

Watching them go, Ben took his board, and walked off, trying to find another spot of open ocean…when he heard it.

"…_reports are coming in now of a high-speed chase taking place south across Highway 121; two prisoners are reported to have broken out of Sunset Regional Lockup and are fleeing in a black SUV. The police are in hot pursuit…_"

Ben went stock-still as the Surf Shack's radio blared that report across the air, before The Kahuna changed to another channel. "Bad karma, man."

"Yeah…" Ben murmured idly, glancing to the Omnitrix…as he made his decision. "Listen, Kahuna, can you just hang onto this for a second?" he asked, leaning his board against the wall by the counter. "I have to go…run an errand."

"No problem, little dude," The Kahuna answered, taking the board. "Just be careful; that funky karma's still hangin' around you, man…"

"Thanks! I'll be back, later!" Ben called, as he quickly sprinted into the woods, getting as far away from the beach as he could. Once he was far enough away, he stopped, pressing the activation knobs on the sides of the control-dial, popping the dial into activation position. '_So much for a quiet vacation,_' he thought, twisting the dial to the alien form he needed, the green hologram illuminating the woods around him. His choice made, he raised his hand. "_Goin' hero!_" With that, he slammed the dial back down.

The very instant the control-dial contacted the frame, it began to glow a luminous green, as the Omnitrix started cycling up, sending a wave of Omni-energy over him, and then deep into him, remaking his very DNA at the molecular level; his legs became thinner, more compact, his feet morphing into three-toed, clawed talons. His lumbar spine started to extend, jutting out and becoming more flexible, until it was a fully prehensile tail with a yellow tip. His chest expanded slightly, becoming stronger and more durable, as his skin pulled inwards, defining gills over his ribs, before turning deep red, becoming leathery. His arm bones became thinner, as the skin over them started to stretch, becoming leathery wings, his hands turning into fearsome claws. His neck began to widen, as his hair sunk into his scalp, his nose retracting into his skull, his face flattening, making his mouth more pronounced, as his eyes turned narrow, glowing green, with two yellow horn-crests jutting up and back from his forehead, completing the change.

Where once had been Ben Tennyson now stood a tall, red-skinned, manta-ray-like creature, with the Omnitrix's control-dial embedded in his chest. Drawing in a deep breath, savouring the salty scent of brine, the new Ben shouted out his existence. "_Jetray!_"

His lidless eyes narrowing, Jetray spread his leathery wings, taking to the air, before flying south at speeds _well_ over Mach Seven, becoming a crimson streak across the sky. In seconds, he was over Highway 121; he could already see the black SUV speeding down the road, with six police cars after it. In a desperate move, the SUV swerved onto an exit ramp, causing the police to drive past it, before turning left into the wrong lane, forcing innocent motorists to scramble to get out of its way.

Gritting his teeth, Jetray dove straight at the SUV, landing perfectly on its hood, glaring at the two now-horrified crooks. "_Pull over!_" he shouted, his eerie, almost dolphin-like voice only spooking the crooks further; frantic, they swerved, trying to shake him off, but Jetray dug in his talons, holding on. Cursing, one crook drew his automatic, firing a clip through the windshield, forcing Jetray to scramble onto the front grille. Flaring his wings, Jetray flew behind the truck, flipping his tail forward, and focusing; instantly, a stream of green bioelectric energy surged from the tip, blasting apart one of the rear tires. Focusing again, Jetray fired another neuroshock blast, destroying the other rear tire, before diving at the vehicle, grabbing hold of the driver-side door. "I _said_, pull _OVER!_" With that, he punched through the window, grabbed the wheel, and turned, before flying clear, as the crooks crashed into a tree.

Touching down in front of the crashed SUV, Jetray saw the two crooks stumble out, battered and bruised; spotting him, one crook drew his gun and opened fire, but Jetray darted to the side, firing a neuroshock from his eyes and blasted the gun out of his hands. Before the crook could respond, Jetray pounced on him in a flipping double-heel kick, sending him crashing into the SUV, out cold, his face laden with scratches from Jetray's taloned feet. As the second thug rushed him, Jetray spun into a tail-whip, slamming his tail into the crook's gut, knocking the wind out of him and sending him crumpling to the ground.

With the situation neutralized, Jetray looked at the scene with a faint smile, silently thanking his cousin Gwen for those martial-arts lessons. "Guess this holiday is going to be relaxing, after all." Hearing the approaching police sirens, Jetray's good mood vanished, as he took to the sky once more, flying towards Surfer's Paradise as fast as he could.

He didn't have much time…

XXXXXXXX

"Ugh, this is _so_ not _fair!_"

After she'd moved into the unimaginably grody staff-house, Lo found herself aimlessly walking down the patio stairs, an irritated pout creasing her face; by then, twilight had started to paint the sky a blazing mix of red and gold, but she was in too foul a mood to appreciate it. '_How could Daddy __**do**__ this to me? I throw one little party, and he acts like…like I sold nuclear secrets to terrorists!_'

Taking a deep breath, Lo reigned in her anger. '_Okay, Lo, cool your jets,_' she told herself. '_Daddy just overreacted, that's all; he was this mad after George burned down the boathouse, too. All I have to do is just give him time, and he'll come around; Mom's probably already working on getting him to ease off…_'

She had just stepped onto the ground when she heard a faint rustle in the bushes. Curious, Lo walked around the back of the beach house. '_It's probably just some of the new workers getting back from a surf-session,_' she thought…before her expression brightened, '_or maybe it's Ty coming back from the Office!_' If she could figure out where her big brother came from his secret surf-spot, she could blackmail him into helping her get back in the penthouse! "Hello?"

"Crap!"

Lo arched an eyebrow at that whisper. "Ty?" she called. "Is that you?"

_Crack!_

The snap of a tree-branch sent a red shape tumbling down from the treetops, landing directly in front of Lo. "Okay, Ty, I get that you want to keep the Office's location quiet," Lo muttered, "but I _really_ need…your…help?"

As she'd been talking, the red shape slowly stood up…rising several head-lengths above her – _way_ too tall to be Ty – before turning around…

Standing before her was a blood-red, green-eyed fish-creature, with yellow horns, razor-sharp claws, and deadly fangs. Looking down, it spotted her, its horrible maw opening…

"_AAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!_"

Lo's scream hit an octave usually reserved for calling dogs; grimacing, the creature raised its claws…before the green hourglass symbol on its chest started flashing red. Panicking, the fish-monster turned, and ran off, leaving Lo behind.

Alone again, Lo couldn't _move_, her feet rooted to the spot with sheer terror at what she'd just seen, as she frantically tried to catch her breath; she didn't dare move or scream again, or else that thing might come back…

"Lo! Lo, where are you?"

Lo kept hyperventilating even as she saw the copper-haired head of her big brother through the foliage; seconds later, 17-year-old Tyler Ridgemount, clad in his usual red swim-shorts, rushed up to her, followed by the well-tanned Aussie named Ripper, and Ty's old friend since grade-school, "No-Pants" Lance, also in their surf gear. "Lo, are you okay?" Ty exclaimed. "Take it easy, sis…just calm down…"

Lo tried to speak. "_Muh...m-m-muh…_"

Ripper rolled his eyes. "Hang on, mate; remember, this is the sister that's had all of us runnin' ragged, yesterday!" he complained. "She probably just broke a nail."

"_M-m-muh…muh...muh…m-muh…_"

Lance arched an eyebrow. "I don't know, man; she seems pretty freaked…"

"_M-muh…muh…m-m-muh…m-m-m-MONSTER!_" Lo finally managed. "There's a _MONSTER_ in these woods, Ty!"

Ty blinked. "_What?_"

"It's _true!_" Lo wailed. "I was just walking around here, looking for you, and then the next thing I know, this big, red, fishy…_thing_ drops out of the trees, trying to _eat me!_"

Ripper rolled his eyes. "_Riiiiiiight…_"

Ty frowned. "Look, sis, I _get_ that it sucks how Dad's making you work, but making stuff up isn't going to help…"

Lo stamped her foot. "I am _not_ making this up, Tyler! I _saw_ it!" she shouted, pointing behind her. "There was a big, red _fish-monster_ standing _right there_, a minute ago!"

Lance brightened. "Hey, I'll bet it was a brain-sucking water-beast, like in that movie, _Revenge of the Sea Demons from Planet…_"

Ripper smacked him upside the head. "Don't encourage her, mate; she'll be whinin' all summer as it is."

Ty sighed. "Whatever, sis," he said. "Come on; you've got a big day, tomorrow."

Frowning irately, Lo could only follow her brother and his friends back to the staff house. '_I don't believe this! As if rats, mould, and skunks aren't bad enough, I have to worry about MONSTERS, too?_' she silently fumed. '_Can this day GET any worse?_'

XXXXXXXX

After encountering Lo, Jetray had scrambled deeper into the woods, as the control-dial's red warning-flares grew brighter and steadier…and then it timed out, enveloping him with a bright red glow, depositing a perfectly normal, shorts-clad Ben Tennyson in his place. Ben let out a relieved sigh. "_That_ was close."

He hadn't _meant_ to freak that girl – Lo – out so badly; he would have explained he was a _good_ guy, but the minute the Omnitrix started timing out, he'd panicked.

Heading back to the staff house, Ben snuck in through an open back window, before creeping up to his room; after changing back into his regular clothes, Ben let himself flop onto his bed, utterly _wiped._ As he hit the mattress, he felt something jingle against his chest; reaching under his shirt, Ben fished out the object…and his expression collapsed.

It was a silver pendant, consisting of a Japanese kanji symbol – the symbol for "Together Forever" – suspended on a black cord; he'd completely forgotten about it. He'd had it on ever since Julie had given it to him…

Ben's eyes shut tight as he thought of his ex; Julie Yamamoto, pretty, sweet, as graceful as a ballerina as she glided across the tennis-court; Julie, the one girl who accepted his life as the bearer of the Omnitrix; Julie, the girl he'd thought he was falling for…

"Hey!"

Glancing up at that cheery voice, Ben spotted Emma standing in the doorway, all smiles. "You're in a good mood," Ben observed.

Emma nodded. "I didn't get fired!" she exclaimed. "I thought I was going to – I was screwing up all day, today – but I get to stay, and I got some surfing in and Broseph said I was a natural and…"

"Whoa, slow _down!_" Ben laughed. "I'm happy for you, but I can't listen at 100 miles an hour!"

Emma blushed. "Sorry," she said, calming herself. "Anyway, the other groms and I were going to have a weenie-roast down at the beach; want to come?"

Ben grinned. "Why not?" Getting up, he put on his coat, before following Emma out of the staff-house.

The summer sun was already setting by the time Ben and Emma reached the small campfire, where Fin, Reef, and Broseph were roasting hot dogs, along with one other…

Seeing them approach, Fin smiled. "Hey, there's our resident noobs!" she teased, her tone light. "I know Alberta got her session in, but how about you, States? Any new wipeouts, lately?"

Ben shrugged. "Nah; any more than one face-plant into the water at 25 mph, and I'm up all night," he quipped back, while casting an uneasy eye towards the fourth grom around the fire. '_Oh, crap, it IS her!_'

Looking up from the fire, Lo's pale violet eyes narrowed angrily as she saw him. "Okay, _what_ is _he_ doing here?"

Lo's tone took the others by surprise, but Ben sighed, folding his arms. "Last I checked, I was _working_ here, princess."

As Lo huffed angrily, Fin arched an eyebrow. "You two know each other?"

Broseph started to chuckle. "Oh, man, that was _you_ that bumped into her, dude?" he laughed. "Front Desk Guy _said_ there was a double-takedown outside the big cheese's office!"

Emma blinked. "Huh?"

Lo frowned, crossing her arms. "He's taking about the incident outside Daddy's office, today," she huffed. "I was just having the _worst_ day of my _life_ when this…_kook_ plows _into_ me!"

Ben's eyes narrowed. "Excuse me, _I_ plowed into _you?_" he snapped. "I was just minding my own business when I stepped out of that elevator, lady!"

Reef just laughed. "Okay, first you knock over the owner's _daughter_, and _then_ you totally wipe out on the same _day?_"

Fin turned to Lo, one eyebrow arched. "Hey, just be thankful it wasn't one of the regular staff you trampled," she said. "After the cleanup your party had us working, you probably wouldn't be walking away with just a bruised butt."

"Uh, hello? Banished from my _home_, here!"

Ben rolled his eyes. "Oh, yeah, boo-hoo; you're forced to work like everyone else."

Lo let out a tiny '_hmph_' as she sat back down. "Well, it won't be for long; Daddy _totally_ overreacted. I'll be back in the penthouse within the week."

Ben chuckled dryly. "Yeah, hang onto that dream, princess."

"Guys, come on!" Emma piped up. "We're practically _living_ at one of the coolest resorts in the country, and we get to _surf_ on our days off! This summer is _any_ surfer's _dream!_"

Reef arched an eyebrow. "Girl makes some sense!"

Fin grinned, raising her hot-dog-roasting stick into the air. "To the summer!" she declared. As Emma sat down, Fin glanced to Ben. "You in, States?"

Ben chuckled. "I don't know; you sure a noob like me would fit in?"

"Hey, the more you wipe out, the better it makes _me_ look, bro!" Reef answered.

Fin rolled her eyes. "Not enough bad surfers in the _world_ to do that, kook," she muttered.

Smiling, Ben sat down, picking up a roasting stick. "To the summer!" he echoed Fin's toast. With that, the rest of the groms – his new friends, with the probable exception of Lo – repeated the toast, before continuing the weenie-roast.

With his luck, Ben somehow knew the summer wouldn't be normal…but it was going to be interesting.

XXXXXXXX

_**Omnitrix Database**_

_**File-name:**__ Jetray_

_**Species-name: **__Aerophibian_

_**Home planet:**__ Aeropela_

_**Abilities:**__ Subject is capable of flying and swimming at significant fractions of lightspeed, exceeding even the land-speed of a Kineceleran. Possesses both gills and terrestrial lungs; can remain underwater, on land, and in the air indefinitely. Advanced nervous system produces neuroelectrical energy in excess, rendering subject capable of projecting a "neuroshock" from the nerve-endings in the optic nerves and the tail; high-intensity bio-electric fields give subject a limited electromagnetic levitation, allowing for "cold starts" directly from standing. Incredibly acute optic and olfactory senses enable for easy tracking of prey; subject also possesses limited electro-motive perception. Highly durable and flexible epidermal and sub-cutaneous layers; subject can withstand repeated impacts from opponents up to and including Highbreed-level strength._

_**Description:**__ The supreme predator of planet Aeropela, the Aerophibian is a true all-terrain master, capable of foraging for berries on the mainland, flying off to catch small aerial mammals in the upper-atmospheric cliffs, and then diving into the planetary ocean to hunt for kraelfish. Its ability to perceive the electrical fields of its prey, coupled with its acute senses, means that there is little that escapes its talons. Initially solitary creatures, Aerophibians commonly met others of their kind only during mating-season, until the evolution of the neuroshock; with this adaptation came an expansion of its electro-motive perception, allowing each Aerophibian to sense its brethren from even the other side of Aeropela. United by mutual curiosity, the Aerophibians were finally drawn together as a species; development of a common language soon followed, as did the establishment of permanent settlements._

XXXXXXXX

_Author's Note: Hey, all! For those that don't know me, I'm The Writer with No Name, creator of the "Last Son" story-series. I've decided to branch out a little, and this idea has been kicking around my cranium for the past few months, so I figured I'd give it a try!_

_To clarify, this story is an alternate Season 1 of Stoked; it will start off fairly close to "canon" Season 1, but will gradually start to diverge. In the Ben 10 universe, this story starts just after Season 2 of Alien Force, before the start of Season 3; in other words, Kevin hasn't been mutated, and Vilgax hasn't shown his ugly face (yet)._

_As far as pairings are concerned, as I've said, the main one in this story will (eventually) be Ben/Lo, with some small elements of Reef/Fin mixed in. Ben 10 fans may be somewhat ticked that I've dissolved the "canon" relationship between Ben and Julie, which I can understand; personally, I like Julie's character – she's smart, cute, funny, and level-headed, which she'd have to be in order to handle the craziness life throws Ben's way. However, in order for this story to work, Ben and Julie had to break up._

_Sorry, Julie._

_With regards to updates, I will try to keep a fair pace, at first; for the first few chapters at least, you can all expect 10-14 days between chapters, or so. However, since I am currently in university, as well as working on "Last Son," there may be times when my updates will take longer, so please be patient; I WILL finish this story, of that I can promise you._

_Finally, I understand that some of you may not like my work, which is understandable. I would, however, like to paraphrase Voltaire on this subject: the right to free speech means that not all people will like what you say, but they should respect your right to say it. Genuinely constructive criticism I can accept gladly, but flamers should just kindly close their browsers and walk away. I have never and WILL never flame another author; I don't think the same courtesy is too much to ask. If you don't like it, don't read it; nobody's forcing you._

_That said, I hope you all enjoy my story! Later!_


	2. Takin' Care of Business

CHAPTER TWO: TAKIN' CARE OF BUSINESS

_Surfer's Paradise Staff-House, June 29, 2010_

When Ben woke up, it was to both the first traces of morning light…and what sounded like a _jackhammer._

Rising from his cot in the corner of the room, Ben, clad only in his black shorts, looked around, and located the source of the disturbance: Reef, in the top bunk-bed, snoring like a hacksaw, while the afro-headed guy – Broseph, Ben had learned – was turned towards the wall in the bottom bunk, his pillow over his ears. '_Smart guy,_' Ben noted, checking his clock. '_6:30 already?_' he groaned. '_And I have to be in at 7:00…might as well get up…_'

Dragging himself out of bed, Ben groggily lumbered to the bathroom, his bath towel and change of clothes in hand; after getting a quick shower, Ben felt human again, or at least as human as he _could_ be with an alien device loaded with extraterrestrial DNA strapped to his wrist…

_Tap! Tap!_

Emerging from the shower, Ben scowled as he heard that knock on the door. "Give me a minute!" he called, starting to towel off.

_Tap! Tap!_

Ben's frown grew. "I _said_, in a _minute!_"

_Tap! Tap!_

His eyes narrowing, Ben looped his towel around his waist, storming towards the door. "Oh, for the love of…what _is_ it?" He threw open the door…and came face-to-face with a pair of indigo eyes.

Clad in only her blue-white, thigh-high nightgown, with her mauve eye-shades on her forehead, Lo's eyes went wide with surprise at Ben's state. Ben was equally surprised at her state of dress, which accentuated her slim figure and slender legs…

Her face flushed, Lo frowned, crossing her arms over her chest. "Take a picture, perv; it'll last longer!" she snapped.

Ben frowned back. "Oh, so you interrupt _my_ shower, and _I'm_ the perv?"

Lo's eyes narrowed. "You were taking too long!"

"Excuse me for wanting to look decent on my first day!"

Lo rolled her eyes. "A professional _make-up_ team couldn't do that, _kook!_"

"_Oi!_ Groms!"

Turning, Ben and Lo saw the Australian senior – Ripper – peer around the corner at them. "Be at the front porch in five!" he barked. Noticing their respective states, he arched an eyebrow. "'Course, if you two wanted to get busy, we could always make it fifteen…"

Ben's eyes went wide. "_W-What?_"

"_Eeeww!_ As _if!_" Lo cried. "Get _out_ of here, Ripper!"

Ripper shrugged. "Suit yerselves, mates." With that, he headed off, likely to wake the others.

Feeling his face burn, Ben looked away. "_Man,_ is that guy full of it."

Her face just as rosy, Lo nodded. "I know, right? _Ugh!_" she muttered. "_God_, I just…I _cannot_ deal with you, right now! Just…_ugh!_" With that, she stormed off.

Alone again, Ben sighed to himself. '_Looks like it's gonna be one of those days…_'

XXXXXXXX

"_Groms!_ Front porch, now!"

Torn from her sleep by Ripper's bark, a very sleepy Emma – still in her PJs – shuffled downstairs, followed by an equally groggy Fin. "Ugh…what's the deal?" Fin grumbled.

"I don't know," Emma murmured, walking onto the porch and sitting down; looking around, she saw Lo sitting next to her, still in her nightgown, while Ben was standing to the side, fully clothed. "How come you two are already up?"

Lo's expression was flat. "Don't ask," she muttered. "Ty, what's all this about?"

"You'll see, Sis."

Looking towards the five seniors, Emma felt her face start to burn as she noticed the copper-haired _hottie_ that had just spoke. '_Wow…_'

By then, Reef, Broseph, and Wipeout – still in costume – had caught up to them. Absently scratching his butt, Broseph yawned. "Dude…too early…"

"Yeah, man!" Reef agreed. "What's the deal?"

"Glad you asked, grom!" Ripper said. "You lot are about to embark on a journey the likes of which every new worker has undertaken since time immemorial: _Grom Initiation!_"

Ben frowned. "Why do I not like the sound of that?"

Emma raised her hand. "Um…what's that?"

"It's very simple," the copper-skinned, black-jeans-red-tank-clad, short-raven-haired head waitress – Kelly – sneered. "From 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM, all of you will do anything and _everything_ a senior says! For example, if we say "Bark," you say…"

Broseph piped up. "…woof?"

Kelly continued. "If we say jump, you say…"

"_Ooh, ooh!_" Wipeout called. "Woof?"

Fin chuckled. "Stick to bad dancing, man."

Lo rolled her eyes. "Okay, I don't even _work_ here, so this doesn't really apply to me…"

Ben snorted. "You mean you _didn't_ get your car stuck in the pool?"

As the rest of the groms chuckled, Lo flushed angrily. "You know what the _best_ thing about going back to the penthouse is?" she snapped. "I'll _never_ have to see your face again, _kook!_"

"Feeling's mutual, princess!"

"This whole thing is bogus, man!" Reef protested. "So what if we _don't_ do what you say? You gonna fire us? Give us a strike?"

Lance shrugged. "No, man, we wouldn't do that…"

"All I needed to hear!" Reef exclaimed. "I'm out!" He turned to go.

Fin stood up. "I'm with Barnacle Brains; you can take this "Initiation" and _stuff_ it."

"Hey!"

Ty chuckled. "That's too bad," he began, "because if you stick it out…you get to surf the _Office._"

At that, everyone froze. "Did…did you just say the…the _Office?_" Emma cried.

"_Dude!_ _Tell_ me you're not joking!" Reef exclaimed.

Johnny shook his head. "We kid you not, my friend."

Ben raised his hand. "Uh…at the risk of sounding like a complete kook…what the heck is the Office?"

The other groms stared at him. "Dude…you gotta be kidding," Broseph said.

"_Wow._ You _are_ a noob," Fin agreed.

"Not helping."

Emma spoke up. "Ben, the Office is a surfing _legend!_ It's like the _perfect_ break: white sand, endless waves, and _no_ tourists, because nobody knows where it is!"

Ripper smirked. "Nobody but us seniors," he corrected. "So what's it gonna be, groms?"

Emma was instantly on her feet. "A chance to surf the _Office?_ I'm _in!_" she squealed.

Fin had already turned around. "Dude, I've got four – count 'em, _four_ – older brothers; there's _nothing_ you could do that could keep me down," she agreed. "Bring it on!"

Broseph nodded. "Hey, I'm up for a little punishment."

Emma was practically giddy as she glanced towards the last of their group. "Ben?"

"_Forget it._"

Ben's voice was hard as iron as he glared at the seniors. "If you guys expect me to go along with these tools _bullying_ us, you've got another thing coming," he muttered. "They're just using this "Office" as an _excuse._"

Johnny flinched. "Dude…it's just a little harmless hazing; our seniors did it to us…"

"_Doesn't_ make it right," Ben snapped. "I'm _out_." With that, he strode off.

Ripper snorted. "Oh, a prima donna, eh?" he sneered. "Your bloody loss, mate; more waves for _me!_"

Lance chuckled. "We've still got some time before punch-in."

Ty nodded. "One last sesh it is!" he agreed. "Groms, Initiation starts at 7:00; be prepared!" With that, he and the rest of the seniors headed off.

Catching herself staring after Ty, a blushing Emma hurried back into the staff house, in time to catch Lo heading back upstairs. "Um…shouldn't you start getting ready?"

"Oh, please; Daddy's probably over it, by now," Lo answered. "And not a second too soon; no offence, but there is no _way_ I could work here."

Emma could only nod…before something else occurred to her. "How come you and Ben are still arguing? It can't still be because he bumped into you…" She started to smile. "You don't…_like_ him, do you?"

"_ICK!_" Lo cried. "Not in _this_ universe!" Her last words were heard over her shoulder as she headed back to her bed. "Ben Tennyson will be the _last_ thing on my mind once I'm back in the penthouse!"

Emma could only sigh to herself. "If you say so…"

XXXXXXXX

_Surfer's Paradise Resort_

"Aw, man, what'd I get myself into, _this_ time?"

Emerging from the change room, Ben grimaced as he glanced at his new uniform – purple t-shirt and yellow-purple shorts – in the locker room mirror. '_Brother, if I'd known I'd end up wearing this, I'd have __**let**__ the Highbreed finish me off,_' he thought. '_Okay, maybe not, but I'd have been tempted._'

By then, the rest of the new summer-staff had caught up to him, heading into their own change-rooms, emerging minutes later in their own uniforms: Broseph in attire identical to his own, Reef in a purple sleeveless t-shirt and yellow-purple shorts, Fin clad in a tacky yellow maid's outfit, and Emma in an authentic-looking serving-wench costume. "I still can't believe they're making us wear this," Fin muttered.

Emma giggled at that, but her expression fell as she spotted Ben. "Are you _sure_ you don't want in on Initiation?"

"_Dead_ sure."

Broseph grimaced. "Dude…it's the _Office…_"

"_Slackers!_"

At once, everyone stiffened as Bummer stormed into the locker room. "A quick reminder, people; _most_ of you have already made it past the first-day firings, but that _doesn't_ mean your butts are safe! If I hear tell of anyone – _anyone_ – slacking off, they get an immediate strike! If anyone gets a 5 or lower on an employee evaluation, that's a strike! Anyone care to guess what happens with three strikes?"

Fin flinched. "We're out?"

"_Bingo!_" Stopping in front of Ben, Bummer's eyes narrowed. "And as for _you_, Tennyson, I don't know how you persuaded Mr. Ridgemount to hire you, but I _don't_ like it!" he snapped. "For the rest of this day, I am going to be watching you like a _hawk_; you give me one _reason_ – _one_ slip-up, _one_ back-talk, _one_ guest complaint – and you are _gone!_ Are we clear?"

Ben gulped. "Crystal, sir!"

"Good." Bummer then looked to the others. "What are you slackers standing around for? Get to work!" With that, the five of them hurried off.

Once they were out of earshot, Ben groaned. "_Sheesh!_ What's his problem?"

"Answer that, States, and you'll have explained the whole summer," Fin answered. "Good luck, everyone."

As the group split up, Ben and Broseph headed to the main lobby, with a nervous expression on Ben's face. "So…should I be worried about our supervisor?"

"Nah, man; Johnny's a local. He's cool," Broseph said. "'Sides, he's a fan of my Mom's famous jambalaya; I keep him stocked, he keeps me out of Initiation and the B-Man off your back."

Ben grinned. "Nice!"

By then, they had reached the lobby, where Johnny was waiting at the front desk. "Okay, guys, nothing major," Johnny reported. "We've got a couple check-ins in a half-hour, and the Marvin family made a room-service call, just now. Ben, you take that one; you can pick up their order at the DR's kitchen. Broseph, you're on ride-along; just get him up to speed."

"Cool." Turning to Ben, Broseph's grin widened. "Come on, man; if we're lucky, we can get there before the chef tosses the breakfast leftovers. _Mm-mm!_"

Ben chuckled. "If you say so." With that, the two of them hurried off.

XXXXXXXX

_Dining Room_

Cautiously peering through the DR's serving-doors, Emma carefully walked out, carrying a fresh tray of orders, while keeping one eye on the lookout for Kelly, and the other on the fresh chowder-stain on the hem of her skirt. '_I sure hope this comes out in the wash…_'

Fortunately, Kelly – in a costume like hers, but with a captain's hat and eye-patch – was busy helping a customer on the other side of the restaurant, giving Emma a critical window of opportunity to dispense her orders unopposed. As quickly and as carefully as she could, Emma managed to get each order to its intended consumer, without breaking any dishes, this time; handing off the last dish, she was about to head back to safety, but a familiar voice stopped her. "Could I get a coffee, please?"

Turning, Emma did a mild double-take as she saw Lo sitting at a table, in her sun-dress and flower-clip, and _not_ her uniform. "So…your dad _did_ say you could go back?"

"I don't know; I haven't asked, yet."

Emma gulped. "Then…shouldn't you punch in, just in case?"

Lo laughed. "_Please._ Like I said before, Daddy's calmed down, now." Her nose suddenly wrinkled. "What stinks?"

Emma wilted. "My uniform; Kelly chowdered me."

"Ugh. She is such a total witch; Daddy should _so_ fire her."

"I'll remember you said that, _grom._"

Emma _froze_ as Kelly walked into view. "Shouldn't you be in uniform, Ridgemount?"

"Uh, _no!_" Lo answered. "Living in that pig-sty for one night was traumatizing enough!"

"Awww, I'm _so_ sorry for you," Kelly mock-crooned. "Oh, wait; I'm _not_, because you're spoiled and rich."

Lo arched an eyebrow. "Jealous much?"

Kelly smiled evilly. "Of _you?_ Not likely," she sneered, "because "Daddy" just walked in; have fun explaining!"

At that moment, Emma saw the hotel owner himself walk in, reading his newspaper, followed by Lo's cute older brother, and a younger boy – around 11 or 12 – with short blond hair, brown eyes, and a similar complexion to Lo's, clad in a white t-shirt and light blue shorts. As the Ridgemount family sat down, Emma leaned in towards Lo. "Good luck…"

"I'd keep the luck for yourself, _grom,_" Kelly sneered, "because you're _serving_ their table."

Emma's eyes nearly bugged out of her _head._ "W-Wha?" she stammered. "I…I couldn't…what if I mess up?"

"_Excuse_ me?"

Emma wilted. "Okay."

Kelly chuckled to herself. "Oh, what are you so glum about? You get a front-row seat to Mr. Ridgemount going _thermonuclear_ on Princess Screw-Up. Enjoy!" Sighing miserably to herself, Emma headed over to the Ridgemount family table.

By then, Lo had already sat down at the table, across from her father. "Hi, Daddy!" she chirped.

Ty looked apprehensive, while Lo's younger brother chortled. "Shouldn't you be at work?"

Lo frowned. "Shouldn't you be _taller?_"

Mr. Ridgemount peered out from over the rim of his paper. "George is _right_, Lauren. Why _aren't_ you working?"

Lo chuckled, smiling cutely. "Oh, that's okay, Daddy; you don't need to keep this up," she said with a shrug. "I've totally learned my lesson about respecting money, and I'm ready to come back home!"

Her father's eyes narrowed. "So…you decided to show me you've developed a proper work ethic…by _not_ doing any work?"

Lo's smile faltered. "Uh…well…" she stammered, "…I…I just don't see why I'd _need_ to; I mean, aren't we already rich?"

"Being rich has _nothing_ to do with the issue, young lady," her father snapped. "The issue is that _Ridgemounts never settle._ I was even _younger_ than you are when _my_ father taught that to me, and God as my witness, I'm going to teach it to you whether you like it or not."

Lo's lower lip started to quiver, as she worked up a sniffle. "But…but _Daddy!_" she wailed. "There are _monsters_ out there! I _saw_ one, just yesterday! How can you just _leave_ me out there?"

Mr. Ridgemount arched an eyebrow. "Monsters?"

Lo nodded. "Big, red, fishy monsters, with claws and fangs!" she cried. "One almost _ate_ me!"

Her father just sighed. "And these 'monsters' show up after I send you to work, is that it?" he asked flatly. "Lauren…just how _dumb_ do you think I am?"

Ty spoke up. "Actually, Dad…I'm not so sure she's making it up; I heard her scream, yesterday, and when I found her, she seemed convinced she'd seen _something…_"

George snorted. "She probably just looked in the _mirror!_"

Lo's eyes narrowed. "Shut up, you little _troll,_ or I'm gonna..!"

"The only thing you're going to do, young lady, is _get to work!_" Mr. Ridgemount snapped. "I don't give a good horse's patoot about what you _say_ you saw; as far as I'm concerned, _Sasquatch_ could be out on resort grounds, and the only problem I'd have is whether or not he's paying rent!" He stood up. "Now, I'm going to go play a round on the golf-course; when I get back, I expect to see you in _uniform!_" With that, he marched off.

As Lo sat back in her seat with a huff, Ty smiled sheepishly. "Hey, don't say I didn't try, Sis."

While Lo sulked, a blushing Emma leaned in closer to her. "Is that really your brother?" she whispered. "He's such a _hottie!_"

Lo stared at her as if she'd grown two heads. "_Tyler?_" she repeated. "Uh, _gross!_"

Hearing their exchange, Kelly smiled evilly. "Oh, you think so, do you?" she cackled. "Well, then, Mackenzie…why don't you ask him to _marry_ you?"

Emma's eyes nearly bugged out of her head. "W-W-_What?_" she cried. "I…I _couldn't!_"

Kelly shrugged. "Oh, well; guess _one_ grom won't be going to the Office…"

Ty frowned. "_Whoa_, Kelly; you're going a little far," he warned. His expression turned sympathetic as he glanced towards Emma. "It's _okay_; you don't have to do this…"

Emma gulped. "No," she said, steeling herself, "I really do." She dropped to one knee. "Will you…will you marry me?"

Lo frowned as George started laughing his scummy little butt off, while Ty suppressed a chuckle. "Uh…I appreciate it, but…maybe when you're older." At that, Emma flinched, her eyes tearing up, before she ran back into the kitchen.

She barely heard the door open over her sobs; she hadn't even noticed it until she heard Lo's voice. "Hey…are you okay?"

Emma's eyes were red as she looked up. "That…was the most _humiliating_ moment of my entire _life!_"

Lo tried to smile. "Wow…you must _really_ want to see the Office, to listen to _Kelly,_" she said. "That…took a lot of guts…"

Emma sniffled. "Thanks."

Lo shrugged. "Well, good luck!" She turned to go.

Emma's eyes went wide. "But…didn't your dad just tell you to punch in?"

Lo laughed. "Emma, here's a little secret to dealing with Daddy: no matter what he says, he's not _really_ angry until his eye starts twitching. No twitching, no anger; I'm still in the clear!"

Emma grimaced. "I don't know, Lo; you're kinda pushing it…"

"Relax; I'll be fine!" Lo said with a smile. "I'll be back later, 'kay? Bye!"

As Lo walked off, Emma could only watch her go with a sickening unease. She hoped Lo was right, but she couldn't help but feel that her playing hooky was going to come back and bite her…

XXXXXXXX

The noise from room 1221 was audible through the walls by the time a shell-shocked and filthy Ben and Broseph managed to extricate themselves from the Marvin suite. "Dude…" Broseph whimpered, "…how can two kids make that much of a mess?"

"Those two kids _aren't_ kids!" Ben declared. "They're a freakin' force of _nature!_"

Broseph could only nod. "Let's get outta here before they make another room-service call!" Ben didn't dare argue for a minute, as he and his coworker bolted out of the hallway.

Once they were halfway to the lobby, they slowed their pace. "So Bummer's got a serious hate on you, dude," Broseph piped up. "What's _that_ about?"

"Probably because I got hired _outside_ of his "proper channels,"" Ben answered. "Mr. R himself hired me on."

"You know the Big Kahuna himself, dude?"

"Close; my _Grandpa_ does," Ben said. "He and Mr. R go way back, from what I know; Grandpa Max actually _introduced_ him to _Mrs._ R."

"Cool."

By then, they had reached the lobby. Looking up from his desk, Johnny winced as he saw their state. "Rough time?"

"Dude, you _don't_ want to know."

Looking around, Ben spotted the wall-clock: 11:00 AM. "Look, if nobody minds, I'm just gonna go on break, now, okay?"

"No problem, man," Johnny answered, "but just 15 minutes at a time; Bummer's a stickler for that rule."

"Got it," Ben answered. "Be back in a flash." With that, he hurried off.

After grabbing a soda from the nearby vending machine, Ben happened to pass by a pay phone. '_I wonder how Gwen and Kevin are doing,_' he thought…before he fished a quarter out of his pocket, picked up the receiver, popped it in, and dialled.

It took a few rings for someone to pick up. "_Hello? Tennyson residence._"

Ben smiled at his cousin's voice. "Hey, Gwen."

"_Ben! Hey!_" Gwen answered. "_How did your interview go?_"

"Well, I'm not planning my return-trip just yet, if that's what you're wondering."

"_That's great! I knew you'd get the job!_" Gwen exclaimed. "_So, what's it like in Surfer's Paradise? Catch any waves?_"

Ben groaned. "Oh, sure; I'm the beach's resident wipe-out expert."

Gwen's tone was sympathetic. "_You'll get it eventually._" She chuckled. "_Remember all the goof-ups you had with the…you-know-what?_"

Ben laughed. "Hey, I was _10!_ Cut me _some_ slack!" His tone turned serious. "Any troubles on the bad-guy front?"

"_No, Ben; after we took down all the…H.B., there hasn't been a single incident._" Gwen's tone grew lighter. "_Kevin's complaining about being bored, but I think he just misses you, too._"

"Yeah; without me, he doesn't have anyone to make fun of!"

"_There's that,_" Gwen agreed. "_What's everyone like, up there?_"

"My coworkers?" Ben asked. "They're all pretty cool…although there's this girl Lo that kinda hates my guts."

"'_Lo'?_" Gwen repeated. "_As in, Lauren Ridgemount? The owner's daughter?_"

"That's her."

Gwen sighed exasperatedly. "_Ben, I would __**not**__ worry about __**her,**_" she muttered. "_That girl is bad news!_"

Ben blinked. "What makes you say that?"

"_Ben, are you joking? Didn't you see the news?_" Gwen exclaimed. "_Her little party nearly trashed the entire hotel! The RCMP had to be called in!_"

Ben's eyes went wide. "Whoa…I didn't think it was _that_ bad…"

"_Oh, it __**was**__ that bad!_" Gwen declared. "_That girl is just so…so __**spoiled!**__ She makes that Milton girl look like Mother __**Theresa!**__ Trust me, Ben, you do __**not**__ want to hang around __**her**__; she's such a…a..!_"

"…dweeb?" Ben finished. "Last I checked, Gwen, you used to think that about _me._"

Gwen's voice turned regretful. "_You were 10, Ben; you didn't know better. Lauren Ridgemount __**should!**_"

Ben chuckled. "As far as that party goes, her old man would agree with you; just before I got there, he laid down the law. She has to work at the hotel, too."

"_Well, good for him!_" Gwen said. "_It's about time somebody taught that little brat a lesson!_"

Ben sighed. "A little harsh, don't you think?" he asked. "Sure, she's a pain, but she can't be _all_ bad, right?"

"_Believe me, Ben: a Julie Yamamoto she is __**not!**_"

Ben's expression collapsed. "Yeah. No argument there."

He could hear Gwen's face fall. "_Oh, God…oh, me and my stupid big mouth…Ben, I didn't mean…_"

"It's okay, Gwen," Ben said softly. "I know what you meant…"

"_Arrgghh!_ I am going to _murder_ those kooks!"

Ben's gaze was drawn to the left, as a sweaty, dirty, and _very_ angry Fin stormed into view. "Do I even want to know?"

Fin took several deep breaths, trying to calm herself. "The seniors, in their 'infinite' wisdom," she snapped, "left me a little initiation _present_ in Room 1451!"

"_Ben?_" Gwen asked over the phone. "_Who was that?_"

"Oh, that was Fin," Ben answered her. "She's another of the new hires, here."

Gwen softly gasped. "_Fin…McCloud?_"

"How'd you know?"

"_EEEEEEEEEEEE!_"

Ben winced as an excited squeal pierced his eardrums. "_Ben, Fin McCloud is one of THE best surfers on the North American CONTINENT! And you're telling me that she's WORKNG with you? That you KNOW her?_"

Ben groaned. "And you had to burst my _eardrum_ to tell me that?" Sensing another squeal building, Ben quickly added, "Gwen, I'm gonna have to go; I'll call you back later, okay?"

"_Okay; just tell Fin I said hi, and that she's the greatest…_"

"Got it, Gwen. Bye!"

As Ben hung up, Fin arched an eyebrow. "Did I hear a dolphin on the other end, or something?"

"Nah; just my cousin. Apparently, she's a fan of yours," Ben answered. "Don't hold that squeal against her; normally, she's cool."

Fin shrugged, her good humour returning. "Hey, can't fault her for having good taste."

Ben arched an eyebrow. "A famous woman, are you?"

"I try not to brag."

Ben chuckled. "Yeah, Reef does enough of that for everybody."

Fin burst out laughing. "_Now_ you're getting it!" she exclaimed. "So, what about you?"

"What _about_ me?"

"Well, you know surfing's _my_ kick; what's yours?" Fin's gaze fell to his wrist. "For starters, where'd you get that funky watch?"

Ben grinned sheepishly. "Oh, well, I'm into soccer, mostly," he replied, hiding his wrist behind his back. "Besides that, I was an…apprentice Plumber, I guess you could say; my Grandpa helped me get into the business."

"Cool," Fin said. "Soccer, huh? What position?"

"Goalie," Ben answered. "I actually took home MVP, this year. My teammates called me "Ten-Brick Tennyson"; stick me in front of a net, and you've got yourself a brick wall."

"Nice!" Fin approved. "I can definitely hang with you…though I'll probably need to see this "brick wall" trick for myself."

"Wouldn't expect anything else."

Fin's expression wilted, somewhat. "So…you're really going to miss out on the Office?"

Ben frowned by reflex. "Looks like it."

"Okay, the wipe-outs are just noob mistakes – they can be _forgiven_ – but…the _Office?_"

"I'm not saying it isn't awesome," Ben said quietly. "I'm saying that it isn't worth what _they're_ charging for admission; _nothing_ is worth getting bullied over."

Fin blinked. "Wow. I don't know if I should respect you or laugh at you." Her expression lightened. "At least you're not actually trying to find it on your own; Reef asked me to sneak into Ty's room for clues." She chuckled. "They wedgied him within an inch of his life."

"Ouch," Ben said. "Well, I guess we'd both better get back to work."

"Guess so."

By the time the two of them got back to the lobby, Broseph was talking to a somewhat-nervous Johnny, who was holding a ratty-looking version of Wipeout's costume. "Look, you heard Ty and Ripper, man; I _have_ to make you wear this…"

Broseph shrugged. "Hey, that's cool, man. I get it…just like how I _have_ to tell everyone about your mad crush on…"

Johnny's face twisted into a grin, as he stuffed the suit back under the desk. "Whoops! Can't find it!"

Fin snorted. "_Ugh!_ That is so not _fair!_"

"Hey, what'd _I_ tell you?" Ben quipped.

"_McCloud! Tennyson!_"

Both Ben and Fin froze as Bummer stormed over. His glare settled on Fin first. "May I ask _why_ you're not cleaning?"

Fin thought fast. "Just…looking to check in with you, sir!" she chimed. "Room 1445 is now spic and span! What's next?"

Bummer's scowl diluted, somewhat. "Hmm…well, at least _one_ of you has a brain," he muttered. "Go clean Room 1221; the Marvin family just went to the beach, and I expect their room to be spotless before they get back!" His gaze then fell on Ben. "Tennyson, I need you to head to the Dining Room and pick up the Finnigan family's lunch-order; they're at the beach, right now, and I expect to see them enjoying their picnic in the next fifteen minutes!"

Ben blinked. "Uh…isn't there a Snack Shop right on the beach?"

"_What?_"

Ben back-pedalled. "You got it, sir! One picnic-lunch, coming up!"

"That's what I thought you said." With that, Bummer strode off.

"Wow. He _does_ hate you," Fin muttered.

"_Me?_" Ben repeated. "Fin, I was _at_ the Marvin family's room; I was standing at _ground zero._"

Fin gulped. "Oh, God…"

Ben nodded forlornly. "Hang in there, trooper."

"Thanks," Fin replied. "If you cut through the golf course, you should be able to shave a few minutes."

"Good to know," Ben said. "Wish I had some advice for you…"

"_TENNYSON!_"

Ben flinched. "I'd better go!" he exclaimed. "Good luck!" With that, he sprinted off towards the DR.

XXXXXXXX

The sun was high over the golf course as Lo readied her putt; pulling her club back for a swing, she launched the ball in a perfect arc, dropping it onto the last patch between her and the green, with only a high hill in her way, now. '_Daddy was right about golf; it __**is**__ a good way to relax,_' Lo thought with a smile, walking towards her ball. '_The past few days have just been __**so**__ stressful…_' Putting her thoughts aside, she swung her putter, sending the ball into a higher arc, well over the hill, to land on the other side…

"_OW!_"

Her eyes widening, Lo raced up to the crest of the hill…and frowned as she saw Ben – one of the main _sources_ of her stress – flat on his back, her ball inches from his head. "_Excuse_ me!" Lo snapped. "You wrecked my shot!"

Groaning, Ben sat up. "Uh, I have a splitting headache from something _landing on my head,_ but thank you for asking."

Lo folded her arms, letting out a little '_hmph._' "Well, this _is_ the golf course; you're supposed to _watch_ for flying golf-balls…and since you _obviously_ can't watch where you're going…"

Ben scowled. "Oh, so this is payback, is it?" he snapped, getting back to his feet, before picking up the basket he'd been carrying. "_Fine!_ I knocked you down, and now you knocked _me_ down! We're _even!_ Happy?" His scowl faded to curiosity. "Don't you have a job to get to?"

Lo rolled her eyes. "Uh, _no!_ Daddy wasn't _really_ angry…"

"_Lauren! I thought I told you to get to work!_"

Lo froze, whirling to see her father on a golf-cart, a few meters away. Ben just chuckled. "_Sure_ he wasn't."

Lo flushed angrily. "Shut up, you _kook!_ This is all _your_ fault! If you hadn't distracted me, Daddy wouldn't have seen me!"

Ben rolled his eyes. "_Whatever_, Princess," he shot back. "Unlike _some_ people, I've got _work_ to do." With that, he walked off.

Lo suppressed a strangled squawk of anger, refusing to let him get the last word. "_Fine!_" Seeing her father still glaring at her, she hurried off.

He could have at least let her finish the course…

XXXXXXXX

After getting beaned by Lo's golf-ball, Ben had to practically sprint to get to the beach in time; reaching the white sands with about a minute to spare, he scanned the horizon for a family matching the description of the Finnigans. '_Okay…a mother, father, and twin 10-year-old girls with red hair…_' Spotting a couple with one pigtailed, redheaded kid in a blue sundress, Ben hurried over. "Mr. and Mrs…Finnigan?" he panted. "Your…lunch..?"

The mother looked up from her tanning. "Greg, could you handle that?"

Standing up, Mr. Finnigan took the basket from Ben. "Thanks," he muttered gruffly. "That'll be all."

Ben could only sigh. "Happy to help, sir," he said, turning to go. '_Sheesh, he could at least tip me with a hotel mint…_'

"Wait, Daddy!" the little girl piped up. "He looks tired; couldn't he stay?"

The mother rolled her eyes. "_No_, Briana; he has work to do," she answered. "Now, go and find your sister." She turned a condescending smile on Ben. "Would you be a dear and go with her?"

'_Could I go have a heart-attack, first?_' Ben wanted to ask. Slapping on his best smile, Ben nodded. "Happy to, ma'am!" he replied, before hurrying after their kid.

Within a few seconds, Ben had caught up with the girl, to Briana's delight; clasping her hand around his index and middle fingers, she led him towards a small dock on the beach. "Erica said she'd be swimming around here," she said, letting go. Cupping her hands around her mouth, she called out, "Erica! Eri, where are you?"

"_HEEEEEELLLPPP!_"

That helpless scream drew Ben and Briana's gaze towards the sea, where another red-haired little girl, in a blue bathing suit – Briana's twin – was paddling desperately to keep afloat…with two triangular caudal fins poking out of the water as they circled her..!

Briana was utterly horrified. "Eri, hang on!" she cried. "_Help! SOMEBODY, HELP!_"

In her terror, she never noticed Ben slip away from her; darting behind a nearby boathouse, Ben ducked low, popping up the Omnitrix's control-dial and selecting the alien for the job. '_Hero time!_' His selection made, he slammed the dial back down.

Just like before, the Omni-energy surge washed over him, remaking him from the inside out, except _this_ time, where it had expanded him, it now seemed to _condense_ him; his skeleton contracted in on itself, growing smaller, his skin losing every ounce of pigment, becoming utterly smooth. His hair shrunk back into his scalp, his ears closing in on themselves, becoming incredibly sensitive, as his nose disappeared into his face.

When the change was complete, in Ben's place now stood a small, white humanoid, barely Briana's size, with wide green eyes, spherical ears, and a lipless mouth, the control-dial emblazoned on his chest. "_Echo – Echo!_"

Briana was near hysterics as she watched the sharks circle her twin, but her cries gave way to sheer surprise as Echo-Echo darted past her, running to the edge of the dock. Grabbing a life-preserver, Echo-Echo concentrated, generating two sound-based copies – "echoes" – of himself. "_I'll – save – her!_" the real Echo-Echo instructed, in his stilted, completely monotone voice. "_You – guys – keep them – off my – back!_" Nodding in agreement, the other two Echoes took aim at the sharks, both taking deep breaths…

One fin had just started to slip beneath the surface as the shark went for its meal…when one Echo's sonic scream tore through the water, blasting it clear out of the ocean. Taking aim at the other shark, the second Echo opened his mouth and unleashed a deadly wave of pure sonic force, blasting it out of the water, as well. With the way cleared, the real Echo-Echo tossed the life-preserver into the water, before hopping into it, aiming away from Erica, and unleashing his own sonic scream, letting the momentum of the deadly noise take him right to the girl.

Hopping off the ring and treading water, Echo-Echo pushed the ring towards the girl. "_Grab – on!_" Suppressing her terror, Erica obeyed, letting the preserver keep her afloat, while Echo-Echo took hold of it, before shutting his eyes, letting his innate sonar take over. '_This was too easy,_' he thought, as he let out several "pings"; the sonar pulses stretched deep into the ocean and resonated back to him, revealing an endless expanse of silver and black…with two sets of razor-teeth swimming straight at them from below..!

"_Erica! Cover – your – ears!_" Echo-Echo ordered. "_Guys! They're – on – my – Two! 30 degrees – low!_" As a frantic Erica covered her ears, the two Echoes unleashed two deadly-accurate sonic screams, guided by the lead Echo's precision sonar-tracking; the sound-blasts tore through the water, inches from Echo-Echo and Erica, to blast the sharks well out to sea. Before they could swim back, Echo-Echo aimed away from the shore, unleashing his own scream, sending them rocketing back to land.

As the preserver washed ashore, a wailing Erica ran from the water, hugging her twin. "Bree, I was so _scared!_"

As his copies darted over, Echo-Echo reabsorbed them, before turning his gaze towards Erica. "_Are – you – okay?_"

Sniffling nervously, Erica and her sister looked at him. "Uh…uh-huh," Erica whimpered.

Briana's expression matched her sister's. "Th-Thank you…"

"Briana? Erica?" came the cries of their mother as she and her husband rushed over. "What's all the commotion abou…_OH MY GOD!_"

That scream came just as her eyes fell on Echo-Echo. '_That's my cue to leave!_' Echo-Echo thought, as he turned, and bolted into the brush, leaving the panicked cries of patrons far behind.

XXXXXXXX

"Okay, I _know_ I saw those guys heading from this direction; that means the Office _has_ to be nearby!"

Ditching Ripper and Lance at the beach to chase down their boards – after he'd tossed them into the surf – Reef went over the woods with a fine-tooth comb, searching for any clues as to their previous whereabouts. '_Come on, there HAS to be some kind of clue, around here! Those guys would've needed about an hour to catch up to their boards, and time's almost up!_'

His despair quickly turned to hope as he heard footsteps in the distance. '_YES! Lady Luck STILL has the hots for the Reefster!_' he mentally exclaimed. '_That's gotta be Ty or Johnny heading back from the Office; if I can ambush whoever it is, I can figure out where he's coming from!_'

As the footsteps grew closer, Reef darted into the brush, peering out at the trail, crouching low…and then leaping out as the footsteps grew even closer.

"_AAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!_"

The girlish scream that echoed through the woods was his own…for it _wasn't_ Ty or Johnny that he'd ambushed.

It was some kind of pure white, smooth-skinned, two-foot-tall humanoid _thing_ that stood in front of him, now, its huge green eyes glaring at him, its lipless mouth opening for a snarl…

With another scream, Reef sprinted off, as fast as he could, making a beeline for the hotel; he was in such a hurry, he never noticed the log in the path until he tripped over it…landing in front of two familiar pairs of feet.

"What's up, _grom?_"

Gulping, Reef looked up at an irate Ripper and Lance. Desperately, he pointed to the woods behind him. "There's…there's something in the woods out here, man!"

Lance pounded his fist to his palm. "Yeah! A dead grom!"

"_What?_ You mean that thing already killed somebody…" Reef began, but stopped at the death-glares he was getting. "You mean _me_, don't you?"

Ripper chuckled evilly. "Gettin' it now, isn't he, Lance?"

With another scream, Reef bolted off, trying to outrun the two seniors. '_Oh, man, I did NOT sign up for this!_'

XXXXXXXX

After ditching the golf-course, Lo made her way to the hotel gift shop, idly browsing the clothes-racks. Spotting a cute purple hoodie, she smiled as she took it off its hanger, walking towards the mirror. '_Ooh, this would look so minty with my blue capris and white tank-top!_'

Had she stayed by the rack a moment longer, she might have noticed the window slide open, as a small, white-skinned creature slipped through.

Lo had just slid the hoodie on over her sundress and was looking at herself in the mirror when a low whirring filled the air, as a bright flash of red light lit up the entire room. Her eyes wide, Lo nervously looked around – no-one else was there. A chill started creeping up her spine as she walked to the back. "Hello?" She peered around a corner…

…and found none other than Ben there, crouching low behind a shelf. Lo's eyes narrowed. "What are you doing?" she shouted. "Are you _following_ me?"

Ben's eyes went wide as he fell back onto his rear. "Lo? What? _No!_" he cried. "I just…I dropped my cell-phone under that shelf; I was trying to get it!" Grinning nervously, he held up a green-black phone. "I found it!"

Lo frowned, folding her arms. "What about that red light?"

"Light? What light?" Ben answered, before changing the subject. "Didn't your dad tell you to get to work?"

"I _knew_ it! You _ARE_ following me!" Lo snapped.

Ben rolled his eyes as he stood up. "Get over yourself, Princess," he shot back. "You didn't answer my question."

Lo sighed in annoyance. "News flash, kook: Daddy's not _really_ angry unless his eyebrow starts twitching."

Ben's eyes went wide as he looked behind her. "His…_right_ eyebrow?"

Lo blinked. "Yeah," she said. "How did you know?"

Ben grinned nervously. "Well, you've obviously got stuff to do, and I've got to get back to work, so I'll leave you to it!" With that, he ran off.

Lo rolled her eyes. "_Whatever!_" she muttered, walking back towards the mirror. Smiling to herself, she looked into the reflective glass…

…and saw the image of her _very_ angry Daddy standing behind her, with George right next to him. "_WHAT IS GOING ON HERE?_"

Lo didn't dare speak, as her dork of a brother just smirked.

"His eyebrow's twitching."

XXXXXXXX

After darting out of the gift shop before Mr. R went nuclear, Ben hurried back to the main lobby to report in; thirty minutes and several room-service calls later, he returned, to crash onto the bench next to the front desk. "Tough calls?" Johnny asked.

"Don't ask," Ben mumbled, pulling himself back up. "Tell me that's the last call."

Checking his console, Johnny nodded. "You're good," he reported. "In fact, if you were interested, I can get you in on Initiation…"

"I'm _not._"

Johnny sighed. "Okay, Ben, I've gotta know; what's the damage with this "Initiation boycott" thing? It's just a little harmless hazing…"

"Bullying is _not_ "harmless," Johnny! Take it from someone who _knows!_"

Johnny froze. "Come again?"

Ben lowered his gaze. "Look…back when I was 10, there were these two guys in my hometown – Cash and JT – that _lived_ to make my life a living _hell,_" he said. "It took me five _years_ to work up the nerve to stand up to them."

Johnny looked guilty. "Whoa…sorry, man, I didn't know…"

"Yeah," Ben said. "I guess I'm a little…touchy on the subject…"

He was interrupted by two figures darting by, wearing baby-bonnets…and nothing else.

Ben's brain stalled, trying desperately to interpret what he'd just seen. "Were…were Reef and Broseph just…"

Johnny nodded. "Yep."

"Wearing…"

"Looked like it."

Ben frowned. "'Harmless hazing,' huh?"

Johnny looked embarrassed. "Well…that's what we'd call going too far."

"No kidding."

Looking down, Johnny saw a blinking light indicating a new order. "Ben, Room 1507 just placed a room-service order."

"Got it." Getting up, Ben headed towards the DR, to pick up the order.

Walking into the Dining Room's kitchen through the service-door, the first thing Ben saw was Emma comforting a crying Lo…who was wearing an identical wench-costume. "Oh, _what?_" Lo wailed angrily as she saw him. "You came to gloat, too?"

"Lo," Emma soothed, "Ben's just doing _his_ job, okay?"

Ben blinked. "I take it your dad wasn't happy."

Lo sniffled. "D-Daddy said that…that if he gets _one_ complaint from my supervisor, my trip to Europe next year is _gone!_" she bawled. "And my supervisor is _Kelly!_"

Ben's eyes went wide. "The sadistic chick?"

Lo burst into a fresh wave of tears. "Now I wish that red monster _had_ eaten me!"

"Oh, _no_, sweetie!" Emma soothed, giving her another hug. "Don't _ever_ think that!"

"It's _true!_ My life is _over!_" Lo cried. "I might as well have been eaten by that thing…" Her cries died down as she looked over Emma's shoulder at the wall-mounted TV in the corner. "Oh…oh my _God!_ That's _it! _That's the thing I saw!" Following her gaze, Ben and Emma turned towards the news report in time to see a blurry video-clip…

…of _Jetray_ flying away from yesterday's crime-scene.

Emma paled. "You mean…there really _is_ a monster, out there?"

Ben gulped. "I don't know…I mean, _whatever_ it was, it kinda looked like it was stopping those crooks," he supplied. "Maybe it's not bad…"

"Well, then why did it try to eat me, yesterday?" Lo wailed. "For all I know, it could be waiting for me outside the staff-house, right now…and I'll be smelling just like cooking oil from Kelly working me to the bone!"

"Aww, is somebody getting worked too hard?"

Lo visibly cringed as Kelly walked in, an evil smirk on her face. Emma gulped. "I thought lunch-hour was over…"

"It is!" Kelly answered. "I just couldn't help but hear how sad our newest rookie is, so I thought I'd help!"

Ben frowned. "Help _how?_"

Kelly's evil smile grew. "I heard that Ridgemount's spa-privileges were revoked, so I thought I'd give her a little oil-treatment for her hair."

Ben felt his insides clench at her tone, but Lo didn't pick up on it. "Wow, _thanks_, Kelly!" she sniffed, managing a weak smile. "My hair is looking kinda flat…"

"Unfortunately, I didn't have any of those fancy scented oils you use all the time," Kelly continued, tapping a vat on the table next to her, "so I improvised."

Glancing towards the bubbling vat, Lo's eyes went wide. "Um…Kelly, that's _cooking_ oil," she murmured. "_Hot_ cooking oil!"

"I know."

Emma gasped. "Kelly…you're not going to…"

Kelly silenced her with a glare, before pulling a chair up to the table. "Sit."

Lo trembled. "No _way!_"

Kelly shrugged. "Oh?" She flipped out her phone. "I guess I'll just have to call "Daddy"…"

"Wait!" Lo's sniffles grew, as she walked towards the chair, sitting down, fresh tears flowing from her eyes. "O-Okay."

Kelly's smirk grew. "Welcome to the real world, Princess." She reached for the vat's handles…

His eyes narrowed in utter _fury_, Ben stormed over and _grabbed_ Kelly's wrists, stopping her before she could even _touch_ the vat. "Okay, that's _enough!_" he barked.

Kelly's eyes were wide with incredulous rage. "Get your hands _off_ me, Tennyson!"

"Not happening, psycho!" Ben shot back. "I don't care _what_ kind of twisted initiation this is, you could really _hurt_ her with that stuff! Now _back off!_" With that, he shoved her away.

Recovering her balance, Kelly glowered at Ben…before her smirk returned. "You know, Bummer _mentioned_ that he was looking for a reason to get rid of you, Tennyson; I think I just _found_ it!" she sneered. "Either you walk away, right now, or you can consider yourself _fired!_"

Ben's expression turned neutral as he considered that, causing a triumphant smile to cross Kelly's face. She likely thought she had him dead to rights…

Ben's eyes narrowed. '_You may think you're the meanest thing around,_' he thought, '_but, lady, you're no Vilgax._'

"Do your _worst._"

Kelly's smile collapsed. "W-What?"

The surprised expression on her face told Ben he'd _really_ rattled her. "You heard me, psycho; I said go for it," he snapped. "If this really is the kind of place that lets this kind of thing go on, then it's a place I _don't_ want to work for." His eyes narrowed. "For now, though, I suggest you take a _walk._"

Kelly flinched. "I..!"

Ben's glare turned fierce enough to make even _Vilgax_ wet himself. "I said _walk._"

For a moment, Kelly met his glare…until her eyes widened in fear, though she covered it quickly. "_Uurrgghh!_" she huffed, before she turned, and stormed off.

Relaxing, Ben glanced to Lo. "You okay?"

Lo had been staring wide-eyed through the whole exchange, until Ben's gaze forced her to look away, to hide her burning cheeks. "I…I _didn't_ ask you to do that!" she stammered. "Now Kelly's probably going to do something even _worse!_"

Ben sighed. '_Figures._' "You're welcome," he muttered flatly. Looking around, he spotted his room-service order. "Look, I gotta get going." Walking over to the service-cart, he started wheeling it out of the DR, before heading for the service-elevator…

"_Ben!_ Ben, wait up!"

Pausing, Ben turned around to see Emma run up to him. After catching her breath, she beamed at him. "Ben, that was _awesome!_ That was the bravest, _coolest_ thing I've ever _seen!_" she exclaimed. "I don't think anyone's _ever_ talked like that to her! Do you have any _idea_ how much _I've_ wanted to do that?"

Ben chuckled. "I think I can ball-park it." He sighed. "Pity that probably got me fired."

Emma's expression saddened. "You don't really think she would?"

"I know how my luck usually goes," Ben answered.

Emma managed a smile. "Maybe you can ask Lo to put in a good word with her Dad!"

Ben snorted. "Right; I'm gonna ask the girl I _knocked down_ on my first day for help. That'll go well," he said. "Thanks anyway, Emma, but I'm just gonna have to face the music."

Emma wilted. "Okay." She turned to go. "Good luck!"

"You, too." With that, Ben headed off, to make his room-service run, which could very likely be his last.

And all for a girl he hardly liked, and who didn't like _him_ at all.

Ben sighed to himself. '_Being a hero really bites, sometimes…_'

XXXXXXXX

_Staff House_

"Dude, I am telling you, there's something _out_ there!"

After he and Broseph staggered back to the staff-house, still in their trunks, Reef had quickly begun recounting his forest-encounter to the first sympathetic ear. "You mean you saw some little white-skinned dude running through the forest?" Broseph asked. "Couldn't it have been some kid in a jumpsuit?"

"No _way_ was this thing a kid, bro! It didn't have a _nose!_"

Broseph gulped. "Spooky, dude."

Reef nodded…and then he sniffed. "Wait…why do you smell like a gas-station, bro?"

"The seniors made me and the girls take a dip in petroleum jelly before we surfed, bro."

Reef's face lit up. "You got to see a bunch of greased-up betties? _Sweet!_"

"Not when you get pearled at 40 mph, dude."

Reef's face fell. "Darn good point, man."

By then, the girls had caught up with them, looking just as worse for wear as they did – Emma's plain pink bikini was dotted with green and blue paint-ball shots; Fin's hair was clogged with twigs and small branches; and Lo's white, pink-trimmed bikini and short-bottom was also daubed with paint, her hair oily and utterly flat, likely from the greased sheen that coated the three of them.

"I'm starting to think that States had the right idea," Fin deadpanned.

Emma managed a weary smile. "Hey, at least we made it, right?" she asked. "It's almost 7:00; they _can't_ do anything else to us…"

"Only because they've already hit us with _everything!_" Lo wailed, running her hands through her hair. "Between the mayonnaise, the paint-balls, and the gasoline, I'll _never_ be able to fix my hair!"

Fin glanced towards Reef and Broseph. "So how'd _you_ guys fare?" she asked. She smirked as she looked at Reef. "Ripper and Lance finally caught up to you?"

Reef scowled. "Only after some freaky creature in the woods nearly _ate_ me!"

"_See?_" Lo cried. "I _told_ Daddy there was some big red monster in the woods; now he _has_ to believe me!"

"Uh…actually, Lo, the thing I saw was all _white_, and…kinda small…"

Fin rolled her eyes. "You mean you freaked over some little _kid_ in a jumper?" she mocked. "_Kook._"

"Who's a kook?" came Ben's inquiry as he walked towards the staff-house from the hotel. Taking in their condition, his eyes went wide. "Wow. The seniors _really_ put you guys through the ringer, huh?"

Lo frowned, crossing her arms. "_Told_ you Kelly would find another way!"

Emma grimaced. "Lo…"

"It's fine, Emma," Ben said, managing a faint smile. "After all, you guys made it!" He sighed. "I'm just gonna change; enjoy the Office." With that, he headed inside.

Emma's eyes narrowed. "_Lo!_ How could you _say_ that to him after what he did?"

Fin arched an eyebrow. "Huh?"

"Earlier today, Kelly was going to dump a vat full of _hot cooking-oil_ on Lo," Emma explained, "but Ben was there when she was just about to do it – he stopped her and told her off!"

Fin's eyes went wide. "_What?_"

Broseph shook his head. "Talk about _harsh_, dudette; you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine," Lo muttered, her arms crossed. "Emma's making more of it than it really is."

"Lo, you could have been _hurt!_" Emma cried. "Ben probably saved your _life!_"

Lo looked down, hiding the rosy tint she'd fought down, back in the DR. "Really, Emma; it's not _that_ big a deal…"

Unfortunately, she hadn't hidden it well enough. "You _do_ like him, don't you?" Emma exclaimed.

"Are you _serious?_" Lo shouted. "Me? Like _him?_"

Fin chuckled, folding her arms. "I don't know, Ridgemount; sounds like it, to me."

Emma's hands were clasped. "What girl's heart _wouldn't_ melt, after getting rescued by her own personal knight-in-shining-armour?"

"_EMMA!_"

Reef chuckled. "Ah, the old 'chivalry' routine, huh?" He shouted up at the second floor. "Nice one, Tennyson!"

Lo looked ready to explode at that remark, but her brother's voice cut her off as the seniors walked up to them. "Congrats, guys," Ty said. "We didn't think you'd make it this far!"

Ripper shrugged. "Gotta say, you groms are pretty hardcore; you just _might_ be Office-worthy, after all."

Emma beamed. "So, we get to surf the Office?"

"Not _yet._"

Kelly's viperish tone, coupled with her knowing smirk, sent chills down their spines. "We have about ten minutes before Initiation ends – time enough for one last test."

Fin arched an eyebrow. "What _kind_ of test?"

"You'll find out," Kelly answered. "Meet us behind the hotel, by the DR's back entrance; I've prepared a nice little surprise for all of you."

Broseph gulped. "_So_ not liking the sound of that, bro…"

"I hear you," Reef agreed, as the five of them walked towards the hotel.

As Lo followed, Kelly stopped her. "Oh, and just so you know, Ridgemount, I _haven't_ forgotten about your boyfriend," she whispered. "Tennyson is going to _get_ his, when Bummer stops by; _nobody_ talks to me that way, _ever._"

Lo flinched. "Okay, first of all, he is _not_ my boyfriend!" she protested. "And second…"

"_So_ don't care!" Kelly snapped. "_Move_ it!"

As the five of them made their way behind the hotel, the scent of sea-air gave way to the stench of garbage, which was strongest coming from the dumpster where the seniors were waiting. "_Dude_…so _ripe,_" Broseph groaned, pinching his nose.

That only made Kelly's grin grow. "Glad you think so," she cackled, "because I've hidden a Surfer's Paradise keychain in that dumpster; you have until the end of Initiation to find it."

Ty arched an eyebrow. "Okay, Kelly, I think this is going a bit _too_ far."

Ripper nodded grimly. "Yeah; our seniors never put us through _that…_"

"Oh, _trust_ me," Kelly said, glaring at Lo, "they've _more_ than earned it."

Fin took one step towards the dumpster…and gagged. "Okay, I'm out."

Reef looked green. "Me, too."

Broseph waved his hand in front of his nose. "So not worth dying for, dudes."

Emma was incredulous. "Are you guys _kidding_ me?" she cried. "You're giving up _now?_ When we're so _close?_"

"We all have limits, Emma," Lo said. "Mine got passed twelve _hours_ ago!"

Emma frowned. "So that's it? One last hurdle, and you all quit?" she snapped. "This is our chance to be _locals!_ At the _Office!_" She turned towards the dumpster. "If you want to give up, fine…but I'm _not!_" With that, she ran straight at the dumpster and dove right in.

Reef's expression turned firm. "Know what? Me _neither!_" Running at the dumpster, he cannonballed in.

Fin chuckled. "Hey, we can't stink much worse than we already do!" Running at the dumpster, she used an old box as a springboard, somersaulting in.

Broseph grinned. "Good enough for me, dudes! _Whoooohoooo!_" Running at the dumpster, he jumped off the box…but miscalculated, smacking into the wall behind, before falling in.

Only Lo remained. Gulping nervously, she looked at the dumpster, then at her new friends, and then at Kelly…before smiling slyly. "What the heck."

As Lo walked to the dumpster's edge, Emma smiled, extending a hand to help her in. "What changed your mind?"

Seeing Kelly's dumbfounded expression, Lo smiled slyly. "The fact that it will _totally_ tick Kelly off if we find it!" Her smile turned genuine. "Besides, anyone who loves surfing _that_ much _deserves_ to see the Office!" She looked to her new friends. "Well, what are we waiting for, people? Let's _DIG!_"

Trash went flying as the five of them dove into the depths of refuse, while the four seniors looked on. Ty, Ripper, and Lance began to grin, while Kelly just stared on, dumbfounded, but her smirk started to creep back into her face as the last minute began to die…

"_I found it! I FOUND it!_"

Kelly's smirk collapsed as a dirt-smudged Lo popped up out of the dumpster, the keychain in her hand, the rest of the groms following, cheering exuberantly.

Ty was the first to congratulate them. "Nice going, groms! You've all passed Initiation with flying colors!" He fixed Kelly with a stern stare. "Unless someone has some _other_ completely insane challenge they'd like to pull out of their hat?"

Pouting, Kelly folded her arms. "No," she muttered. Under her breath, she added, "At least I can bring down that tool Tennyson…"

Lance arched an eyebrow as he caught that. "That guy Ben? What'd he do?"

Kelly was about to reply, but Emma beat her to it. "Stopped her from hurting Lo, that's what!"

Ty's eyes went wide. "What?" he exclaimed. His eyes narrowed as they rested on Kelly. "_What?_"

Kelly smiled helplessly. "It's…not as bad as it sounds!"

Lo smirked. "Oh, so you _weren't_ going to dump hot oil on my head?"

Lance paled. "Whoa…"

"Crikey, Kelly, I _knew_ you were psycho," Ripper muttered, "but _seriously?_"

"Uh-huh!" Emma agreed. "And she _would_ have, if Ben hadn't stopped her and told her off…and now she's gonna try and get him fired!"

Ty skewered Kelly with a glare. "Not if she wants my dad to _blackball_ her butt, she's not," he snapped. "_God_, Kelly…what the hell is _wrong_ with you?"

"Yeah, yeah, she's a total psycho," Reef said, "but can we get back to the important stuff…like going to the _Office?_"

Ty chuckled. "No problem, man," he answered, as his smile turned knowing, "but there's just one little stop we need to make, first…"

XXXXXXXX

After the others had headed off, Ben had retired to his room – his soon-to-be _former_ room, he amended – to change back into his jeans, t-shirt, and jacket. His change done, he started packing his stuff back into his duffel bag, before tossing it over his shoulder, and picking up his board; with any luck, he'd have time to catch the Whale-Bus to The Kahuna's shop to return it, after getting _officially_ fired.

There was no sense in denying it; Kelly was clearly vindictive enough to go through with it, Bummer wanted him gone, and Lo sure wasn't going to stick up for him. '_Sorry, Grandpa; I tried._' With that, he headed downstairs, and walked out, turning towards the path to the hotel. '_Time to face the music…_'

"Goin' somewhere, man?"

Looking over his shoulder, Ben saw the other five groms, plus the seniors, standing there. "Oh, just figured I'd go get fired," he answered casually. "Might as well get it over with."

Ty chuckled. "I wouldn't worry about that, dude," he said. "We had a little _talk_ with Kelly, and we explained a couple things to her, like how it's _wrong_ to dump hot oil on my baby sister's head."

The last phrase was punctuated with a glare at Kelly, who just folded her arms in a sulk.

Blinking, Ben was about to respond, but Bummer's voice cut him off. "Well, I see you managed to get through the day in one piece, Tennyson," the hotel manager snapped as he walked up. "And without any complaints."

Ben shrugged. "Does that mean I can stay?"

Frowning, Bummer looked to Johnny. "Well, Johnny? Any problems?"

Johnny shook his head. "None here, sir."

"Tyler?"

Tyler grinned. "I say he's cool, Andrew."

Bummer's frown grew. "What about you, Kelly? He give you any trouble?"

Kelly opened her mouth to speak, but the glares of her fellow seniors quieted her. "No."

Bummer scowled as he turned back to Ben. "I still don't like you, Tennyson…but I can't fire you for that," he muttered. "You know the rules: three strikes and you're out. Welcome to Surfer's Paradise."

Ben's face went blank. "That's it?"

"What, you want a certificate for not getting fired on your first day?" Bummer snapped. "Talk to me when you're Employee of the Month!" With that, he stormed off.

Ben started to smile. "Well, I guess I won't be shipping out, after all!" He turned back to the staff house. "Enjoy the Office, guys; I'll just go unpack…"

Ripper arched an eyebrow. "Don't you wanna come with, mate?"

'_Huh?_' Ben's eyebrows shot up past his hairline. "But…I wasn't in Initiation…"

Ty nodded. "Consider this a special, one-time offer," he answered. "Sticking up for my sister like that was pretty righteous, man."

Ben grinned. "Hey, nobody deserves to get boiling oil dumped on their head…" At that, Lo looked up, surprised, as a faint smile started to cross her face…

…until Ben finished his sentence. "…no matter _how_ bratty they are."

With an annoyed huff, Lo folded her arms and looked away.

Ty, however, just laughed. "Man, I _hear_ that!"

Ben chuckled. "So, everybody's okay with this?"

Lance laughed. "Any grom that's got the stones to tell off Komodo Kelly _deserves_ to see the Office, dude!"

Ripper shrugged. "I suppose I can deal with it…as long as you respect the lineup, mate."

With an angry scowl, Kelly just stomped off.

Slowly, a grin crossed Ben's face. "In _that_ case, count me in!" he exclaimed. "Just give me a minute!" With that, he darted back into the staff house, zipping up to his room.

By the time he'd stashed his duffel bag, donned his swim-shorts, grabbed his board, and headed back outside, the others had already retrieved their boards; once he'd caught up, the seniors walked into the woods, with the six of them following. The seniors led them along a worn-out dirt path, before taking a left into the brush, heading past a large boulder, past a gnarled old tree, and over a fallen log, before emerging from the brush…

…and there, stretched before them, was an endless beach, with sand as white as clouds, caressed by breaking whitecaps, which blazed gold in the setting sun's light. To their right was a stone-encircled fire-pit, and to their left was a waterfall, creating a pool that fed into the vast ocean.

"It's…_beautiful…_" Reef sniffed.

"The _Office…_" Emma murmured.

"We're _here…_" Fin whispered.

"_Duuuude,_" Broseph agreed.

As the rest of them darted towards the beach, eager to catch some waves, Ben could only stare at the sight before him. '_Okay…maybe this place __**is**__ worth taking some punishment for…_'

"Hey."

Turning, Ben was surprised to find Lo still standing there, looking pensive. "Look," she began, lowering her gaze, "I guess that…_maybe_…standing up to Kelly _was_ kinda cool; that, maybe, you're…_not_ a complete kook." She flinched. "So…_thanks_, okay?"

Blinking, Ben just stared…before he smiled. "No problem."

Quickly, Lo looked down, at which point the sunlight brushed across her face, turning her sun-kissed skin a luminous gold…before she looked back at him with a frown. "If you tell _anyone_ I said that, I'll _so_ deny it!"

Ben chuckled. "Whatever you say, Princess."

Lo let out a strangled squawk. "_Ugh!_" With that, she ran towards the waves…allowing Ben a perfect view of her equally perfect, bikini-short-framed, trimly sumptuous _derriere…_

Shaking his head, Ben forced those thoughts out. '_Not even going to go there,_' he told himself. '_No room for that in my line of work; the Julie incident made that clear…_'

"Hey, States! You coming?"

Fin's call drew Ben out of his reverie. "Yeah, I'm coming!" he called back. With that, he grabbed his board, and ran towards the water.

For better or worse, he was here to stay.

XXXXXXXX

_**Omnitrix Database**_

_**File-name: **__Echo-Echo_

_**Species-name:**__ Sonorosian_

_**Home planet: **__Sonorosia_

_**Abilities:**__ Subject is capable of emitting a high-intensity sonic scream in excess of 15,000 decibels, capable of disintegrating all known structural materials and incapacitating most lifeforms in its path. Highly acute auditory systems allow for a type of "echo-sight," allowing for precise tracking even in utter darkness. Subject can manipulate sound waves to an extent unheard of by any other species, allowing them to create hard-light constructs, or "echoes," by using sound to capture and reflect photons. These echoes are primarily sound-framed, light-shells, containing sonic energy, allowing for use of all the subject's innate abilities; subject controls the echoes unconsciously, and all sensory input "felt" by the echoes feeds back to the main subject. Diminutive stature enables subject to evade attack more easily._

_**Description:**__ Whoever coined the phrase "Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words can never hurt me" has obviously never met a Sonorosian. These diminutive, silicon-based denizens of the planet Sonorosia can unleash a blast of sonic force capable of demolishing mountains. Initially a surface-dwelling people, the Sonorosians were forced to retreat to the vast system of subterranean caves and tunnels beneath their planet's surface when the planet's predators grew too dangerous; the development of their sonic abilities followed shortly after. Today, the Sonorosians have returned to the surface of their planet, though the majority of the Sonorosian civilization remains beneath the ground. Following establishment of interstellar commerce, Sonorosians quickly gained a reputation in the intergalactic demolition industry. Sonorosian society is a relatively liberal democracy, though one societal quirk is the standing ban on any and all public speaking; this ban came into effect after the first electoral debate…which nearly demolished the capital city of Resonon. Ironically, it was the candidate who started the shouting-match that took the election, that year._

XXXXXXXX


	3. Breaking the Rules

CHAPTER THREE: BREAKING THE RULES

_The Office, July 2, 2010_

As the first rays of morning sun touched the sand, it lit up the entire beach with an orange-gold glow, matching the radiance of the rainbow sky, casting an aura of tranquility over the Office…

"Lo, I'm open!"

As Reef and Broseph darted at her, Lo kicked the soccer-ball to Fin, who made a beeline for the opposing goal, zipping through the gap between the two boys, before lining up a shot and letting fly with a sweet kick, sending it zooming towards the lower-left corner of the goal…only to land in Ben's hands, as he darted to intercept it. "Sorry, McCloud!" he laughed. "Gonna have to do better than that!"

As their goalie tossed out the ball, Broseph quickly caught it on his knee, darting forward, before passing it off to Reef as Fin moved towards him. Receiving the ball, Reef zipped past Lo and made a shot at the goal; Emma was just able to jump into its path, falling on her butt as she caught it. "I'm okay!"

After the six of them had gotten up before the seniors, they'd found that the waves at the Office hadn't been surf-worthy…prompting Fin to suggest a guys vs. girls soccer-match to kill time.

Getting back up, Emma tossed the ball to Fin, who raced past the guys' defence, setting up for a shot…only to pass the ball to Lo, who'd discreetly moved to her right. "You're going _down_, Tennyson!" With that, she took her shot.

Diving to his left, Ben skidded along the sand, catching the ball inches from crossing the goal-line. "In your dreams, Princess!" As Lo huffed angrily, Ben tossed the ball to Broseph, who caught it…only to have it stolen by Fin, who let loose another shot, which Ben blocked with a headbutt, catching it as it dropped down. As he tossed the ball out, Reef caught it, darting past Fin to take a shot at the goal, which Emma blocked.

Ben frowned. "_Time!_" he called, causing the other guys to walk over. "Okay, this is getting us nowhere; we've been tied at 0-0 for the past twenty minutes," he said. "The waves are picking up now, so why don't we just call it a draw…"

"No _way_, man!" Reef declared. "I am _not_ wimping out against a couple of betties!"

Broseph grinned. "You mean, you're not wimping out in front of Fin, right, dude?"

Ben sighed. "Fine, then," he muttered. "Here's the game plan: Emma's gonna toss the ball out to one of them – Reef, you crowd the one she throws to and make her pass the ball. Broseph, we'll need you to hang near the other and intercept that ball!"

"Cool by me, bro," Broseph said, "but how do we score a goal?"

Ben thought for a moment. "Which of you can jump highest?"

Reef grinned. "That'd be me, dude – the Duke of Dunk!"

Ben rolled his eyes. "Fine, then, Duke; Broseph, once you have the ball, make for the goal, but don't take the shot – kick it _high_. Reef, you follow close behind him; once that ball's airborne, we'll need you to headbutt it down and to the _right_ – every shot we've taken at their goal has either been dead-center or to the left. Emma'll never see it coming!"

As the three of them broke their huddle, Emma tossed the ball to Fin; instantly, Reef darted forward, crowding her so she couldn't make a shot. Scowling, Fin passed the ball towards Lo…but Broseph quickly intercepted it, to Lo's annoyance. "Hey..!"

Ignoring her, Broseph charged at the goal, with Reef close behind; kicking the lower curve of the ball with his toe, Broseph sent it bouncing high, before darting aside as Reef leapt towards it, pulling his head back, angled perfectly for the shot.

Unfortunately, he'd slightly miscalculated his leap.

_BONK!_

Emma's mouth dropped open as Reef's _nose_ collided with the leather sphere, sending it arcing low towards her, while Reef sagged to the ground, cursing in pain; desperately, she leapt towards it, but she was too late, as the ball sailed just under her arm, striking the ground inside the goal.

"_Gooooaalll!_" Reef exclaimed, his hands shooting into the air…before covering his bloody nose, doubling over.

Broseph looked confused. "Whoa, I'd heard you could hit a soccer ball with your head…but with your _face_, dude?"

"_OWW!_ Dat's _DOT_ what I bedt to do!"

Fin had already dropped to the ground, laughing her butt off, and Reef's nasal whine only made her laugh harder. "You…you sound like Sylvester the Cat, you kook!" she guffawed.

"Oh, thut up!" Reef lisped. "We thtill kicked your butths!" Fin just laughed harder.

Broseph grinned. "Yeah, thanks to the man with the plan, here!"

Fin managed a smile. "Okay, _now_ I can believe that whole "brick wall" thing."

Ben shrugged. "Bellwood Bruisers, MVP."

Lo scowled. "What, we're supposed to be impressed 'cause you guys got _one_ goal?"

"One goal dat you beddies couldn't get!" Reef lisped.

Fin glared at him. "Oh, so the fact that we made _twice_ as many shots on your goal means nothing?" she snapped. "You just _happened_ to have a decent soccer-player on your team!"

By then, Reef's lisp had started to clear up. "All I'm hearing is "sore loser," betty!"

Fin scowled. "Yeah? Well, give me one more minute, and I'll _tie_ that score!" she shouted at him. "Give me _two_ minutes…"

Nervously, Emma inched towards Ben and Broseph. "Guys, what're we gonna do? The waves are in, and I wanna surf!"

"I hear ya, bra," Broseph agreed, gulping. "This could get ugly…"

Ben quickly spoke up. "We _could_ keep playing," he allowed, "but that would probably cut into our surfing time, and we've got less than an hour left before we have to punch in."

Reef and Fin glanced towards the whitecaps, before glaring back at each other. "Oh, you are _so_ lucky I love surfing more than soccer," Reef said.

"Likewise, kook."

With that, the six of them grabbed their boards, racing out into the water. Fin was the first one into the surf, tearing it up on a ten-footer. Reef was close behind, riding the whitecap like a skateboard-rail, gliding off just as the wave collapsed.

As Fin paddled clear of the wave, taking her place back in the lineup, Emma cheered. "Fin, that was awesome!"

Fin just shrugged. "Hey, somebody had to shut Chowder-for-Brains up."

Emma giggled, before she looked around the Office. "Okay, I know I've said it before, but this is just the _sickest_ beach!"

Lo nodded absently. "I guess Ty _does_ have good taste in surfing-spots."

Looking along the coastline, Fin spotted the senior in question. "Hey, Lo, isn't that him? What's he doing?"

Spotting her brother in his trunks, carrying his video-camera, Lo sighed. "Mr. A-V Club President is probably making another surf video," she answered. "He wants to be a videographer, or a journalist, or something." She chuckled. "Total nerd, right?"

"Aw, I think it's cool," Emma said, gazing at him dreamily. "It's like there's more to him than just awesome skills, a cute smile…and nice eyes…and a _killer_ tan…"

"_EEWW!_"

Lo's shriek shattered Emma's fantasy. "Okay, _seriously_, Emma! That's my _brother_ you're drooling over!"

Emma blushed. "Sorry."

Fin laughed. "If you're gonna moon over the guy, Alberta, try getting his _attention_ when your turn comes up!"

Glancing towards the looming waves, Emma gulped. "Um…why is this place called the Office, again?"

Lo's answer didn't help. "Because if you bail, you're getting _worked. Hard._"

Emma drooped. "Good to know."

Ahead in the lineup, Ben glanced back at the girls. "Any idea what they're talking about?"

"Who knows, bro?" Broseph answered.

Reef grinned. "Probably about that sick wave I just nailed."

Ben chuckled. "Or it could be the way your nose lights up Christmas night, Rudolph."

Reef's grin collapsed as Broseph burst out laughing. "Total beak-burn, dude!"

Reef could only frown as he touched his reddened nose; thankfully, it didn't feel broken. Glancing towards the surf, he smiled slyly. "Okay, funny-guy, your turn's up; next wave is all yours!"

Broseph looked worried. "I dunno, bro; looks kinda intense for a noob…"

"Please, it's just a medium-sized wave; nothing major!" Reef said. "All you, States!"

Taking a deep breath, Ben paddled out towards the wave, and then alongside its crest, popping up onto his feet. The wave fought him as he glided through, swelling larger than he'd expected, but Ben forced himself to remember his hoverboard lessons, how he'd had to go with the air-currents; getting his balance, he angled his board, matching the wave's flow.

From the lineup, Fin grimaced as Ben wobbled against the wave – which looked _way_ too big for any rookie to try, so early out – but her worry died down as he steadied himself. "_Yeah!_ That's the way, States!"

Emma cheered. "Way to _go_, Ben!"

Lo just crossed her arms, looking away.

As she followed Ben's path, Fin's laughter died away, her eyes going wide. "Whoa…Ben, be careful! You're getting too close to the whitecap..!"

As he glided up to the top of the wave's crest, Ben readied a trick, but he never got the chance; the wind suddenly died down, causing the wave to die down, leaving him hanging in mid-air…right before it surged back, sending the wave smacking back into his board.

Ben was launched off his board like a horseback rider bucked from his horse, hurtling through the air, _over_ his friends' heads, to smack into the beach, face-first.

Lo managed a smug little smile. "Like I said: _worked._"

Fin grimaced. "Worked like a _dog._"

Turning onto his back, Ben could only groan as Ty walked over to check on him. "Dude, you okay?"

Ben coughed. "I ask you," he muttered, "in _what_ universe could that have _ever_ been considered a medium-sized wave?"

"Good question," Ty answered, grinning faintly. "Gotta hand it to you, Ben – that wipeout was _epic!_ I've _never_ seen someone wipe out like that! That's _definitely_ making the final cut!"

Ben sighed. '_So I'm not a winner, but a spectacular loser. Swell._' "Good to know."

By then, the others had waded out of the water, hurrying to his side. "Ben, are you okay?" Emma exclaimed.

"Oh, sure. I just landed on my head."

Lo rolled her eyes. "Well, that's what happens when you ride a wave you're not ready for."

Ben frowned. "You're all heart."

Fin's frown was a bit lighter. "Seriously, Ben, that wave _was_ too big; what were you thinking?"

"Well, I didn't think it _was_ that big, not when Reef said…"

"Got it."

By then, the sun was starting to inch higher into the sky. "Maybe we should head back," Emma suggested. "It is getting close to punch-in…"

"Good idea," Ben agreed, as the six of them started to head back. "Probably not a good idea to go in with a concussion."

Lo arched an eyebrow. "How would they know the difference?"

"Funny, Princess."

Hanging back, Emma could only giggle, while Fin just arched an eyebrow. "Okay, it's official: Lo's _totally_ hot for Ben!" Emma whispered.

Fin nodded. "It's obvious."

Emma smiled. "So, when are you asking Reef out?"

Fin snorted. "In _his_ dreams and _my_ nightmares, Alberta."

XXXXXXXX

_Surfer's Paradise_

"Miss? Excuse me, miss?"

Rolling her eyes, Lo looked over her shoulder at the latest customer's call. "Coming!" she answered, managing a fake smile, before toting the latest load of dirty dishes back into the kitchen. "_Urrrgghh!_" she fumed, dumping said load into the soapy water of the sink. "I swear, if someone says "Miss" to me one more time, I'm giving _myself_ a hot cooking-oil shower!"

Walking within earshot, an order-laden Emma paused to give her a weary smile. "Chillax, Lo," she supplied. "We've only got another…two hours before our first break…"

Lo wilted. "How could Daddy _do_ this to me?" she wailed. "Could things get any worse?"

"Okay, guys, I've got a room-service pickup – they said to make it snappy."

Lo's scowl grew at the sound of Ben's voice, while Emma could only laugh. "Hey, you're the one who asked!" With that, she headed back out, trays in hand.

As Lo's frown came to bear on Ben, it was answered with a sheepish smile. "Did I come at a bad time?"

"What was your first clue?"

Ben sighed, raising his hands. "Look, it's no big deal; I'll just go talk to the chef and tell him about the order, and you can go back to…whatever." Turning, he headed further into the kitchen. "Hey, chef? I've got an order for…"

The highly fussy Frenchman didn't give him a chance to finish. "Ze lemon-crumble salmon is ready! Get it to ze customers! _VITE!_"

Seconds later, Ben was ejected from the kitchen, a tray on his shoulder. "Wait, hold on! I'm not a waiter!"

Smiling smugly, Lo picked up her new orders. '_I guess there is justice, after all!_' "You heard the chef, "new guy,"" she said. "Time to get to work!" With that, she headed out of the kitchen, while Ben could only follow.

Emerging from the kitchen, Lo managed to get her tray of orders delivered to their proper customers with little incident, pausing after delivering the last one to watch Ben try to figure out who ordered the salmon; with any luck, she could get in a few chuckles before Kelly told her to get back to work…

"Hi, honey!"

Shaken out of watching Ben fumble, Lo turned towards the nearby table…only to realize that it was her family's table; as always, Daddy was reading a newspaper, while George was playing his favourite handheld game. Forcing a smile, she turned towards the owner of that voice. "Hey, Mom."

Smiling the dazzling smile that made her famous on the modeling runway, 39-year-old Gloria Ridgemount, in her usual blue jean-capris and yellow-purple sweater, turned towards her daughter, absently brushing her long, auburn hair out of her cornflower-blue eyes. "Hard at work, I see!" she chimed. "Now, see, James? Didn't I _tell_ you she was doing fine?" Discreetly, she added, "Got your back, honey!"

Glancing over the top of his newspaper, her father managed a grudging shrug. "Well, I suppose," he admitted. "I'll admit, Lauren, this does seem like a good start…"

"Hey, Lo, thanks for telling me which table had the salmon," Ben grumbled, walking over, sans tray. "Now could you _please_ help me convince the chef that…_oh._" Spotting the owner, Ben gulped, smiling nervously. "G-Good morning, Mr. Ridgemount!"

"Ah, Benjamin!" James greeted. "Hard at work, I see?"

"Yes, sir!"

"Good, good," James said. "Oh, where are my manners? Ben, this is our youngest, George."

Ben waved politely. "Hey."

George didn't even look up. "Whatever."

Gesturing to Gloria, James added, "And this lovely creature is my wife, Gloria; Gloria, this is Benjamin, Max's grandson."

Ben's smile turned sheepish. "Ma'am."

Gloria blinked. "_No!_" she exclaimed, as she stood up with a smile. "Why, this handsome specimen _can't_ be Little Benjie!"

Ben's eyes nearly bugged out of his _head._ "_L-Little B-B-Benjie?_"

'_Oh, this is TOO good!_' Lo mentally exclaimed. "_Little Benjie?_" she repeated, a smile crossing her face. "_Do_ go on, Mom."

Gloria was already on autopilot. "Oh, practically every time we talked to him, Max was telling us about his grandchildren!" she exclaimed, fishing a small photo out of her purse. "This must have been that time he took you and your cousin on summer vacation; you both looked _adorable!_"

Glancing at the photo, Ben was torn between chuckling and feeling queasy as he saw a 10-year-old Gwen, in her white pants and blue sweater, her bright red hair cut short and her emerald eyes glaring at a 10-year-old Ben, in his olive slacks and white-and-black t-shirt…with a bulky watch on his wrist. "Wow, this…this takes me back…"

Lo laughed. "Wow, and here I thought you _couldn't_ get any dorkier, 'Benjie'!"

Ben scowled. "Hey, I was _10!_ I think I've grown up a _little_, since then!"

"Mm-hm!" Gloria agreed, nodding approvingly. "I swear, if Max isn't bragging about Gwendolyn, he's telling us all about what a nice, responsible young man his grandson is!" Leaning in towards Lo's ears, she added quietly, "Hint, hint, honey!"

Lo's eyes narrowed, as she fought down the burning in her cheeks. "_Mom…_"

Gloria looked thoughtful. "Hmm…I suppose we should've arranged a play-date for you two, back then…but we just didn't have the heart to cancel your summers with Nana Ridgemount; she was always so happy when her Lo-Berry Muffin visited…"

"_MOM!_"

Ben arched an eyebrow. "'Lo-Berry Muffin,' huh?"

"_Shut up!_" Lo hissed, glaring at him, her face redder than Emma's hair. "_You're_ not much of one to talk! And seriously, that watch? _Ick!_ What _is_ it with you and tacky watches?"

Ben's eyes narrowed, as his hand shot into his pocket. "Says the lady in the wench getup," he shot back. "Now, if you're done insulting my taste in wristwatches, I've got a room-service order to deliver – you can move your _own_ dishes." With that, he stormed off.

Lo was about to shout after him, but her father's voice interrupted her. "'Move your own dishes,' huh?" he asked flatly. He sighed to himself. "I suppose I should have known better."

Lo's face turned stricken. "D-Daddy!"

Getting up, James turned to go. "I'd really thought you'd started to get the idea." With that, he walked off. Managing a helpless smile, Gloria hurried after her husband, while George, still lost in his game, tagged along behind.

Utterly dismayed, Lo could only stare after her family. '_I-I don't believe it; Daddy was going to…_' Her dismay quickly turned to _fury_; her eyes narrowed, she turned, and stormed into the kitchen.

Bursting through the swinging doors, she found Ben just about to leave, a room-service cart in front of him. "D-Do you know what you just _did?_" Lo shrieked.

Ben arched an eyebrow. "Something not in my job description?"

"_He was going to let me come home!_" Lo shouted. "He was _happy_ I was doing my _job!_ And then _you_ come along and make him think I was making _you_ do it!"

Ben snorted. "Gee, _what_ could have given him that idea?"

"_Shut up!_" Lo snapped. "Ooh, _boy_ are you going to be sorry! Just _wait_ 'till the others hear about your nickname, 'Benjie!'" She smirked. "I can just imagine what they'll say!"

"So can I!" Ben shot back. "It'll be the same thing they'll say about _yours,_ 'Lo-Berry Muffin'!"

Lo's eyes went wide, before narrowing. "D-Don't you _dare!_" she sputtered. "Only my Nana gets to call me that!"

"And only Grandpa Max gets to call me _that!_" Ben countered. He calmed down. "I believe this is what generals would call "Mutually Assured Destruction": I can fry you, and you can fry me, so let's _both_ keep quiet, okay?"

Lo suppressed a strangled squawk of anger. "_Fine._"

"Good." With that, Ben wheeled his cart out of the DR.

With Ben gone, Lo's fury returned. "_Uurrgghh!_" she fumed. "That…that _kook!_"

A friendly laugh quieted her. "Ben trouble, again?"

Turning, Lo forced herself to calm down. "I _don't_ want to talk about it."

Emma suppressed a giggle, before her expression turned forlorn. "Then…maybe you could give me a little hand?" she asked. "Ty doesn't even know I'm _alive._"

Lo groaned. "_Please_ don't tell me you're still hung up on my brother."

Emma blushed. "I…I know it sounds lame," she murmured, "but I can't get him out of my head…"

Lo sighed. "Okay, fine," she replied, focusing on a problem she _could_ solve. "If I must, I'll have him eating out of your hand by week's end."

Emma beamed. "Really?"

"Oh, yeah." Lo's expression turned smug. "At my school, guys are _always_ asking me out; trust me, I am an _expert_ at getting a guy's attention." Her smile grew wider. "Try my personal favourite: the Flutter." At that, she batted her eyelashes rapidly, as delicately as a butterfly's wings. "He'll be hooked in one look."

Emma wilted. "I tried that already," she said. "One of the guests thought I was having a seizure…not that Ty noticed."

Lo arched an eyebrow. "Okay, then…how about the Pout?" Her eyebrows dipped into forlorn crescents, her lower lip quivering, turning her into a beautiful picture of dejection, before she returned her face to normal. "That one _never_ fails!"

"Yeah, if he'll look at me!" Emma wailed. "I mean, what do I have to do? Turn into a one-man band?"

Lo groaned. "See, _this_ is why you liking my brother is a problem! He's _oblivious!_" she complained. "At some point, _all_ my female friends have crushed on him, but he never picked up on it, leaving _me_ to deal with them!"

Emma looked ready to cry. "So…so what do I do?"

Lo thought for a moment…and then smiled. "_Jealousy._"

"Huh?"

"Jealousy!" Lo exclaimed. "It's so simple: guys want what they can't have! Just act all nice to some other guy – preferably a surfer like Ty – and it'll drive that doofus _crazy!_"

Emma smiled. "Really? Thanks!" She gulped. "Shouldn't we get back to work?"

"There are only a few customers out there; you can handle it," Lo said idly. "I need an emergency spa-sesh; arguing with Tennyson is murder on my nerves."

Emma blinked. "But…I thought you weren't allowed…"

"You'll cover my shift, 'kay? Thanks!" With that, Lo headed out, while Emma hurried to gather her orders.

XXXXXXXX

As the waves roared in, dozens of surfers rushed across the hotel beach to meet them, instantly taking to the water, riding the cerulean swells and catching the air…except for one.

Sighing forlornly as she sat on the beach, Emma could only gaze at the waves, until the copper-haired object of her desires blazed by on his board, catching enough air to practically put him in _orbit_, before touching down, gliding out the wave right back to shore.

Seeing him heading her way, Emma took a deep breath…and Fluttered as if her life depended on it. "Hey, Ty."

"Oh, hey, Ella."

Emma's face fell as Ty walked by. '_Ella?_' As Ty took a seat on a nearby towel, Emma knew she had to take drastic action; picking up her surfboard, she strode into the surf, paddled out into a wave, and stood up…

"_Whoa, whoa, WHOA!_"

The second she started climbing the wave's crest, her board tipped over, dunking her into the blue and tossing her back onto the shore. Coughing, Emma sat up, picking a strand of seaweed out of her hair. '_Oh, please tell me Ty didn't see that!_'

"Hey."

Looking up, Emma froze as she took in a well-tanned, dark-haired _hunk_ in dark shorts, a dark blue surfboard under his arms. "Saw that wipeout, just now."

Emma lowered her gaze. "Yeah…that was me."

The guy shrugged. "Could've been worse."

Emma smiled. "Thanks," she said. "Emma."

"Shep." Looking around the beach, Shep frowned. "Crowded, huh?"

"Yeah," Emma agreed.

"Wish there was some place that didn't have a lineup a mile long."

Looking over her shoulder, Emma felt a surge of glee as she noticed Ty looking her way, before Lo's earlier advice came rushing back. '_Jealousy, huh?_' "I _might_ know somewhere like that."

Shep beamed. "Really?" he exclaimed. "Then lead on, bra!"

Smiling to herself, Emma led Shep off the beach, onto the path to the Office. '_Lo, you're a genius! It's working already!_' she thought, catching sight of Ty's frown as she left. '_This is the perfect plan! Nothing can go wrong!_'

XXXXXXXX

_A few minutes earlier_

Pushing his last room-service cart up to the Finnigan suite, Ben breathed a sigh of relief. '_Five minutes 'till quittin' time! Finally!_' Taking a deep breath, he knocked on the door. "Room service!"

"Just open the door, dear!"

Shrugging, Ben turned the doorknob…and found it locked. "Uh, ma'am? It's kinda locked."

"No, I'm sure it's open!"

Trying again, Ben frowned. '_No, __**I'm**__ sure it __**isn't!**_' he felt like saying. Glancing to the Omnitrix, his expression turned guilty; he didn't like using it for personal reasons, but he didn't have much choice. '_This door won't be a problem for Big Chill!_' Popping up the control-dial, he twisted it until the image of his Necrofriggian form came up, and then slammed his hand down…

…only to see the image shift at the very last second. '_Oh, CRAP!_' was his last thought before the dial locked back into place, as the Omnitrix started cycling.

The familiar Omni-wave quickly washed over and into him, reaching deep into his body; instantly, his fingers and toes started to meld together, until he had three of each, and each one incredibly dextrous. His chest compressed in on itself, his bones turning lighter, nimbler, while his skull expanded, supporting the now proportionately larger brain it carried. His eyes began growing, filling the larger eye-sockets he'd grown, the white sclera and green irises of his human eyes shifting to a pale yellow surrounding a rectangle-slitted pupil, shielded by side-closing eyelids. Finally, all his hair retracted into his now-grey scalp…before he began to shrink…

…and when the change was done, there stood a tiny, grey-skinned humanoid, clad in a green-and-black bodysuit, with the control-dial affixed to his chest, standing not even two inches tall. "_Grey Matter?_" the new Ben cried. '_Aw, man, of all the times to get this guy back!_'

Spotting the locked door, his now-supercharged brain whirred like a supercomputer; he needed to get that door open. Looking up, he spotted the electronic locking-system that kept the door shut, and got an idea.

Pushing the cart up to the wall, Grey Matter climbed up the tablecloth. Standing right in front of the lock, now. Taking hold of the butter-knife, he used it like a screwdriver, gradually twisting out the screws that held the casing in place, until it fell away, exposing the internal circuitry. Hopping into the wires, Grey Matter pulled out a red one, moved a green one into its place, and then reinserted the red wire into a new slot.

Like magic, the door clicked, as the lock deactivated. Lifting the casing back into place, Grey Matter quickly replaced the screws, before hopping over to the handle, pulling it down and opening the door. With the door open, Grey Matter flexed his mini-muscles, pushing the cart into the suite, breathing a sigh of exertion once he was done. '_Mission accomplished!_' His task done, he turned to go…

…and found one of the Finnigan kids, Briana, standing in the doorway, staring at him. Gulping, Grey Matter managed a nervous smile, offering a friendly wave. "Uh…hi?"

Briana could only gape…before she screamed, pulling her kid-sized purse back and _swinging_ at him, with barely enough strength to even bruise a plant…but to someone _his_ size, Briana had the strength of a _giant._

"_Whhooooaaaarrgghh!_"

Sent flying by Briana's swing, Grey Matter found himself hurtling out the open window, into open air…before he plummeted out of the sky, down over ten stories…and into an air intake-vent on top of a smaller building to the hotel's side, sending him careening through the internal ventilation system, before finally spitting him out through an air-vent, into a room filled with steam.

Landing on something soft, Grey Matter staggered to his feet. "Ugh…aw, man, I oughtta be getting hazard-pay…"

"_Ooooh_…a little to the right…"

'_Huh?_' By reflex, he took a few steps right.

"Oh, yeah…that's it_._"

His neon eyes going wide, Grey Matter looked down…and found himself standing on something pliable…and _sun-kissed!_

A sudden movement drew his attention towards a chestnut ponytail…as Lo moved blissfully beneath his feet. "That feels _so_ good," she moaned. "Please, don't stop…"

Grey Matter's grey skin went a few shades lighter. "Uh…maybe I should stop," he said. "I'm kinda new at this, so…"

"Not paying for excuses," Lo murmured. "And what's wrong with your voice?"

Grey Matter's hands flew to his throat as he realized how his higher-pitched voice must have sounded. "Oh, I just…accidentally inhaled some helium!" he said. "Stupid balloon-stand!"

"Huh?" Lo said, perking up. "There's no balloon-stand, around here!" She arched her back, trying to look around.

His living foothold suddenly shifting, Grey Matter was thrown to the floor. "_Whoooaaarrrggghh – OOF!_"

His cry drew Lo's attention to the floor, as she swivelled around, pulling her towel closer around her body. "Sheesh, what's your damage?" she complained. "Are all masseuses so sensitive – _EEEEEKK!_" Her shrill scream cut through the air as she spotted him. "_W-What the heck are you?_"

Grimacing, Grey Matter raised his hands. "Don't panic, okay? I'm a good guy!"

"Y-You can _talk?_" Lo's widened eyes narrowed in sudden realization, as she recognized his voice. "_Wait_ a minute! You were…_EEEWW!_ Were you just on my _back_, you little freak?"

Grey Matter gulped. "Uh…"

Lo was irate. "You…you rotten little _PERVERT!_" Glaring at him, she pulled back her foot…

Grey Matter waved his hands for her to stop. "No, _don't!_"

With a shriek of anger, Lo's foot lashed out in a kick, slamming into Grey Matter's torso and sending him flying out the open window, sailing across the sky, over the forest, and towards the beach, crashing through several tree-branches, to land in a briar-patch…_just_ as the Omnitrix timed out.

Groaning to himself, a prickle-covered Ben pulled himself out of the patch. "Guess she _does_ have a decent soccer-kick, after all."

"Hey! New grom!"

Looking up, Ben managed a smile as he saw The Kahuna come rushing up to him. "Hey, Kahuna!" he greeted, brushing off the briars. "What's up?"

"Just got a fresh shipment in, dude; your board-paint's here!"

Ben grinned. "Great!" he exclaimed. "Perfect timing; I just got off work!"

"Far out!" The Kahuna replied. "C'mon, dude; let's get your board fixed up!" With that, The Kahuna headed off, while Ben followed.

At least _something_ good had happened today.

XXXXXXXX

_Staff House_

As the sun began to creep behind the horizon, turning the sand and sky a blazing orange-gold, a very tired Lo walked through the staff house doors. '_Ugh, what a day!_'

After dealing with that pint-sized perv, she'd had to deal with Kelly, who – after hearing her scream – found her in the spa, proceeded to chew her ear off, and then put her to work cleaning out the sink's drain.

She still wondered how she got through that without puking – the only explanation she had was that she was getting _used_ to this hellish job…which _really_ made her want to cry.

Heading up the stairs, Lo found a grumpy-looking Fin sitting on her bed. "Okay, it's official!" Lo complained. "_Worst! Day! Ever!_ Do you even want to _know_ how it went?"

Fin's response was dry. "I have a choice?"

Lo was already in mid-rant. "Okay, first I was stuck with _Kelly_ all morning, which was bad enough, and then that stupid Ben walks in, _just_ as I'm convincing Daddy to let me back in the penthouse, and messes it all up! _Then_ when I head to the spa to relax, I run into this…little grey _thing!_"

Fin rolled her eyes. "They're called _mice_, Ridgemount."

"Uh, pretty sure mice don't have buggy yellow eyes, Fin!" Lo snapped. "They _also_ don't walk on two legs, and they _definitely_ don't talk! This little freak was on my _back!_"

Fin's eyes widened. "It…attacked you?"

"_Worse!_ The little freak was totally _perving_ on me!" Lo cried. "I screamed and kicked it out of there, which only drew in an even worse monster: Kelly! She had me cleaning out the drain, all afternoon!"

Fin's voice was flat. "_Riiiiiiight…_a little grey monster peeped on you in the spa."

"It _did!_" Lo exclaimed. "Sheesh, what's your damage?"

Fin's eyes narrowed. "Oh, nothing much; just dealing with an invasion of kooks."

Lo blinked. "Huh?" She was answered by a sniffle, as a tearful Emma, covered with green…_something_, walked into their room. "Emma! What happened?"

Emma sniffed. "I screwed up, guys," she whimpered. "Oh, God, I screwed up _so_ bad!" She buried her face in her hands. "_I led a bunch of kooks right into the Office!_"

Lo paled. "_What?_"

"It's true!" Emma bawled. "I was trying to make Ty jealous like you said, but now they're messing up the Office and they just won't leave and now everyone hates me!" She gestured to her hair. "Ripper and Lance sliming my shampoo is just the beginning!"

Fin sighed. "While I can sympathize with having your shampoo messed with," she said, "you kinda brought this on yourself, Alberta."

As Emma started to sniffle, Lo's eyes narrowed, before she stood up, taking Emma by the hand. "Come on, Emma! We're getting to the bottom of this!"

Leading Emma out of their room and heading downstairs, where Ripper and Lance watched TV; her gamble paid off, as she spotted her brother there, watching TV with his pals. "What the _hell_, Tyler?"

Seeing his sister, Ty sighed. "Can you give me and Sis a minute, guys?" As his pals stepped out, Ty folded his arms. "Well, I see it's started, already; those two don't waste time."

Lo scowled. "Yeah! And you're going to tell them to lay off!"

"Can't do that, Lo," Ty countered. Spotting Emma's condition, he lightly flinched. "Okay, _maybe_ they kinda went overboard with their first prank, but it wasn't unjustified: Ella broke the Grom Code."

Lo felt her teeth grinding. "So just because _Emma_ made one tiny mistake, you tools get to treat her like a pariah?"

Ty's eyes narrowed. "This _wasn't_ a "tiny mistake," Lo; your friend may have exposed the greatest secret surf spot on the _continent_, the place first discovered by the legendary Madcap Max _himself_. Ever since the _Fifties_, the Office has remained a secret…and now, every kook from here to _Alaska_ could find out about it if these losers don't take a hike."

Emma sniffled. "So…w-what do I do?"

Ty crossed his arms. "The Grom Code offers only _one_ means of redemption," he said. "You brought those kooks here – _you_ get rid of them. That's all." With that, he got up, and walked off.

As Emma's sniffles grew, Lo managed a reassuring smile. "Look, my brother's an idiot, okay?" she offered. "Just forget about him…"

"No!" Emma declared, wiping her eyes. "No, he's right! I made this mess, so I have to clean it up! I don't care _what_ I have to do, but I am going to kick those kooks _off_ our beach, once and for _all!_"

As Emma marched off, Lo could only stare in amazement. '_Wow,_' she thought to herself. '_That is one gutsy chick._'

Part of her wanted to help her get rid of those kooks, reminding her that it was _her_ advice that had got her into this mess…but it wasn't her problem. '_Like Ty said, she has to do this on her own._'

And that was all there was to it.

XXXXXXXX

After picking up his board-paint and decal-kit from The Kahuna's store, Ben had returned to the staff house, retiring to his room, beginning his board-modifications; about an hour later, Ben stepped back, looking over his work…and grinned. '_Now if that isn't cool, I don't know what is!_'

Glancing out the window, Ben saw that there was still a sliver of sunlight left on the horizon – if he hurried, he could catch just a few minutes of surfing before it got too dark. Grabbing his board, he bolted down the stairs…and found Reef and Broseph just sitting in the living room, watching TV. Confused at first, Ben smiled, nodding his head towards the door. "Hey, I was just gonna grab one last wave before lights out. Any takers?"

"No thanks, man," Reef muttered. "Not with the local kook infestation."

"I hear that, bro," Broseph agreed. "Even the Office loses its lustre when it's taken up by tourists."

Ben arched an eyebrow. "Okay, what are you guys talking about?"

Reef snorted. "Ask Emma; she _made_ this mess."

Broseph nodded. "She headed out a while ago." Confused, Ben just walked out, heading towards the Office.

By the time Ben was halfway there, the last of the setting sun's light had vanished, replaced by the fainter light of the moon. '_Well, so much for catching any waves…huh?_'

His train of thought was derailed as he spotted several tents pitched on the beach, with a campfire in _their_ fire-pit…with almost a dozen guys sitting around it.

They had to be the tourists that Reef and Broseph had been talking about. '_How the heck did they find the Office?_'

"_WOOOOOOOOOOO!_"

Both Ben and the bunch of kooks turned towards the nearby cliff, drawn by that eerie moan, following it back to a white-robed figure clad in a creepy tiki-style mask. "_You have trespassed upon sacred ground!_" the figure – with a distinctly female voice – moaned. "_You must leave here, or face the spirits' wrath – EEEEK!_"

Her warning turned to a scream, as a sudden gust of wind picked up, blowing off her robe…and revealing a familiar pink bikini.

One of the tourists, a black-haired guy, just laughed. "Nice try, betty! We're still not moving!" Dismayed, the figure could only run off, while the rest of the group laughed. Frowning, Ben headed back into the woods, hoping to intercept the figure.

As he started to hear sniffles, Ben's suspicion was confirmed; rounding the corner, he found a red-eyed Emma, holding a tiki-mask, walking back towards the staff house. Ben cleared his throat, drawing her attention. "Crazy cross-breezes, huh?" he joked.

Emma sniffles grew louder. "You saw that?"

"Uh…not exactly sure _what_ I saw," Ben answered. "I'm more interested in how those chumps found the Office…" He froze, as his casual remark sent Emma into tears, forcing him to back-pedal. "Whoa, it's okay! I'm not _that_ interested; please, c-calm down!"

"_It's all my fault!_" Emma bawled. "_I_ led those kooks to the Office, and now they won't leave and everybody _hates_ me!"

Ben managed a smile. "I don't hate you."

Emma's cries slowed. "R-Really?" she whimpered.

Ben shook his head. "Granted, I'm not _thrilled_ about this situation, but it's not the end of the _world,_" he replied. '_Trust me; I've been there for that one._' "So, why _did_ you show these guys the Office?"

"I showed _one!_" Emma protested. "I was just trying to make Ty jealous, like Lo said…"

"Wait, _Lo_ told you to do this?" Ben asked, sighing in exasperation. "Figures."

"Well, she just said to pay attention to another guy; everything else was my idea," Emma said…before sniffing again. "I've tried everything to get rid of them: swiping their food, pulling down their tents, even scaring them! Nothing works!"

Ben arched an eyebrow. "All alone?" he asked flatly. "Lo didn't help?"

"It…it was _my_ mistake," Emma answered. "I…I just don't know what to do!"

Ben sighed. "At this point, Emma, there's not much you _can_ do; the best thing right now is to get some shut-eye." He lightly smiled. "These things have a way of working themselves out, okay?"

Emma sniffled. "Okay." With that, the two of them headed back to the staff house.

As Emma forlornly headed back to her room, Ben stayed in the living room, his eyes narrowing as he saw Lo on the sofa, now, calmly filing her nails. "I just had an interesting chat with Emma," he remarked, walking over. "It turns out that she just showed _one_ guy the Office."

Lo shrugged. "Well, that one guy told his friends," she answered, "so, in a way…"

"_Not_ the interesting part," Ben said. "Apparently, she was trying to make your brother jealous." He arched an eyebrow. "Now, I wonder just _who_ could have given her _that_ idea?"

Lo looked uncomfortable, as she stopped her filing. "Okay, I…_might_ have mentioned something like that to her," she admitted. "But I _didn't_ tell her to reveal the Office!"

"And it never occurred to you to _help_ her, just now?"

"Hey, she came up with _that_ dumb idea on her own!"

"But she _wouldn't_ have, if it wasn't for you!" Ben shot back.

"Well, what do you expect _me_ to do?" Lo shouted.

"Oh, I don't know – I just thought you might _help your friend!_" Ben snapped, before he shook his head exasperatedly. "You know what? Just forget it! I'm obviously talking to a wall, here!" With that, he turned and stormed out.

Walking into the night air, Ben's scowl deepened as he heard the crowd camping at the Office in the distance…still laughing at Emma's attempt to scare them away. '_Not gonna leave, huh?_' he thought, walking into the woods. '_Let's SEE about that!_'

Within minutes, he was at the edge of the woods that opened onto the Office, overlooking the unwelcome campers' campsite. His eyes narrowing, Ben popped up the control-dial, twisting it until he'd selected the alien for the job. '_Second time's the charm!_' With that, he slammed it down.

Instantly, the Omnitrix cycled up, its energy washing over him, reworking his entire body: his skin began to dull, turning blue-black, as his body's carriage became lighter, more aerodynamic. His arms and legs became thinner, while his eyes expanded, turning compounded and insect-like, his hair pulling back into his scalp, and his lips vanishing, his teeth growing thinner and flatter. At his back, his skin started to pool, before simply popping away, extending into moth-like wings, which rapidly folded around him like a cloak, completing the change.

As the last of the Omni-wave faded away, none of the campers took notice of its flash…nor did they hear the raspy whisper that echoed from the lone cold-spot in the woods.

"_Big…Chill!_"

XXXXXXXX

As the last of the campfire's embers died away, Shep and his pals got up, heading back to their tents. "Hey, see you in the morning, guys!"

One of his pals laughed. "Man, I still can't believe that betty actually tried to scare us off! How lame was _that_, dude?"

Shep chuckled. "I _hear_ you!" he agreed. "Still, lame or not, she was pretty hot…"

"_Koooooooooks…_"

That unearthly moan silenced Shep, stopping him and his pals in their tracks. "Nice try, Emma!" Shep called out. "That didn't work before, and it won't work, now!"

"_Leeeeeeeeeeave..._"

The voice moaned again, causing some of the others to get nervous. "I don't know, man; that sure didn't sound like no chick!"

"Shut up!" Shep snapped, fighting the chill taking hold of his spine. "Cut it out, Emma! It's not funny, anymore…" His voice trailed off…as his breath started to mist in front of his face.

The others were starting to shiver, now. "W-What gives, man? It doesn't get _this_ cold during summer nights!"

"W-What's going on?"

Shep gulped. "S-She's just trying to punk us, that's all! We're not gonna fall for it…"

Suddenly, a massive spike of pure ice erupted from the sand right in front of him, sending Shep stumbling backwards, before _another_ spike burst out of the ground, and then another, and another, until they were all enclosed within a ring of ice-pillars. Shivering, Shep tried to laugh. "O-Okay, Emma! Good one!" He tried to look through the ice, seeing only his reflection. "You can cut it out now; you got us!"

"_Shep._"

The voice snapped out at him, echoing through the air, forcing Shep to look around. Finding nothing, he looked back…and _froze._

He couldn't see his reflection, anymore.

The image that stared back at him now was that of a tall, blue-black _thing_, draped in a blue cloak, its yellow eyes glaring at him through the ice. Then, before Shep could even scream, the thing turned to glowing blue vapour, as it _stepped out_ of the ice, unfurling its cloak into a huge pair of moth-wings, revealing itself as some sort of insect-creature.

"_You have a choice, kooks,_" the creature hissed, its breath nearly giving Shep frostbite as it glared at him. "_You will leave here, and never tell a __**soul**__ about this place._"

Shep tried to control his shaking. "O-Or?"

The thing's eyes narrowed, as it breathed a blue mist, turning the air to frost. "_Or you will __**never**__ leave._"

And with that, the creature breathed its mist over the sand, turning it to ice, sending its hapless victims into paroxysms of terror. Spotting one gap in the ice-ring, Shep and his pals bolted out of the Office as fast as they could, not daring to look back, for fear of seeing the thing chasing them.

If they had, they might have seen the thing grinning to itself as it chuckled. "_Suckers._"

XXXXXXXX

After finding a bunch of fish-heads in her bed, Emma couldn't take it, anymore; still sniffling to herself, she headed out of the staff-house, making her way to the Office, to swallow what was left of her pride and _beg_ Shep and his pals to leave…

"_AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!_"

Emma barely had time to stop as Shep's pals raced past her, all screaming in utter terror, before Shep himself plowed into her. "Y-You _win_, okay?" Shep wailed. "We're gone! We won't tell _ANYBODY_ about the Office! _Just don't let the Mothman get us!_"

As Shep raced off, Emma could only blink, utterly bewildered. "_Mothman?_" she repeated with a laugh, walking towards the beach. '_Oh, brother! What were those guys smoking?_'

She had only just stepped onto the sand when a terrible chill hit her, sending shivers racing up and down her skin. "_Brrr!_" Emma muttered, hugging herself as her breath misted in front of her face. '_What's going on? It's NEVER this cold in the summer; not even at night!_' She was about to turn around and get a sweater, but she stopped dead in her tracks as she saw the ring of massive ice-spires jutting out of the sand. Astounded, she reached out to touch one…and instantly pulled her hand back from the biting cold. '_What IS this? Ice NEVER forms this way, not even in winter…_'

Suddenly, the temperature dropped even further, but Emma didn't dare to even shiver…because a shadow had suddenly appeared, looming over her from behind. Slowly, Emma turned around…

…and came face-to-face with a blue-black moth-_thing_, its immense wings spread, casting its shadow over her, as freezing mist leaked from its mouth. With terrible swiftness, it folded its wings around itself like a cloak, shrouding its face as its eerie yellow eyes glared at her.

Shep hadn't been lying.

Emma's mouth fell open, her eyes going wide as breath-mist puffed out of her at a rapid pace. She tried to run, but her legs _would not work._ '_Are you SEEING this, legs?_' she thought frantically as she hyperventilated. '_We have to get OUT of here! Please, please, PLEASE work!_'

Even as she thought that, it was already too late; the creature – the Mothman – had taken several steps towards her, the chill growing colder as it did. Soon, the Mothman was right in front of her, its terrible claw raised, reaching for her…

…and then clenching its fist, before raising its thumb.

At the thumbs-up gesture, Emma's breathing started to calm, as she took a closer look at its face. '_Wait…is it…smiling?_' Sure enough, the corners of the Mothman's mouth were upraised, at least as far as she could tell. '_What the…_'

Then, before she could react, the Mothman turned a misty, transparent blue, flitting away _through_ the ice-ring, vanishing before her eyes, leaving behind a very bewildered Emma, all alone on the beach.

XXXXXXXX

_The Office, July 3_

As the sun rose over the Office, the sight before Lo was a surprising one as she and the rest of the new staff – minus Ben, who'd slept in for some reason – walked onto the beach: the intruding kooks' campsite was completely abandoned, their tents overturned, their supplies scattered, and with _none_ of them in sight.

They'd left in one _heck_ of a hurry.

With a whoop of joy, Fin hugged Emma. "Way to _go_, Alberta!" she cheered. "I don't know _how_, but you got rid of those kooks _good!_"

Emma's smile was sheepish. "Hey, it was the least I could do…"

"Sweet sight, dudette," Broseph said. "The Grom Code is satisfied."

Reef snorted. "Are we gonna talk, or are we gonna surf, bra?" With that, he and Broseph ran out into the waves.

Fin and Lo were about to do the same, but Emma stopped them. "Can…can I talk to you two for a second?" she asked, her expression pensive. "About last night?"

Fin arched an eyebrow. "What's to talk about, Alberta? You scared those jackasses off good! Everything's fine!"

Lo nodded. "I think I actually heard them as they ran past, last night," she recalled. "They were yelling about some 'Mothman' thing."

Fin laughed. "_That's_ how you did it? The old Monster-Movie routine?" she asked. "_Nice_ one!"

"But that's just _it_, Fin!" Emma cried. "I _didn't!_"

Lo and Fin both paused at that. "Come again?" Lo asked.

Emma chewed her lip nervously. "I came down to the beach once more, last night; I saw them as they ran past me," she confessed. "At first, I thought they were nuts…but then I saw the beach all covered with ice, and then I saw this…_thing!_ It had…these huge wings, like a moth, and it was all black and blue, with shiny yellow eyes…"

Fin snorted. "Are you serious, Alberta?" she asked. "If you're trying to punk us…"

"I'm _not_, Fin! I _swear!_" Emma cried. "There really _was_ some moth-thing, out here, standing right where you are now!"

Lo paled. "So first a red monster, then a white one, then a pervy little grey one, and now a _moth?_" she wailed. "What _next?_"

Emma calmed. "That's another thing, Lo: I don't think it wanted to hurt me," she said. "I think it was trying to scare Shep and his kook pals away like I was."

Fin blinked. "So it's a fan of the Office?" she asked. "Okay, _that_ I can believe!"

"Believe what?"

Turning, Lo frowned as Ben walked up, carrying his board. "Oh, so you finally got up?"

"Yeah," Ben answered, scratching his head. "I was just…finishing up my board's new paint-job."

It was then that Emma noticed the green-black pattern sketched onto the underside of Ben's board: the core of the linear design was a pair of jet-black racing stripes, but on the stripes' outer sides were a series of curved, jagged-looking lines, darting in and out at regular intervals, creating a razor-edged, arrow-like pattern. "Wow! Ben, that looks awesome!"

Fin nodded approvingly. "Well, at least you look the part, now, States."

Lo rolled her eyes. "Whatever," she muttered…but she paused as she spotted the small crest painted on the dorsal side of the board, right at the tip: it was a circular, green hourglass-shape, surrounded by a black circle. She didn't know how, but she could've _sworn_ she'd seen it before…

"So, what were you having trouble believing?"

Ben's voice shook Lo out of her thoughts, drawing her attention to Fin's reply. "Emma said she saw some moth-monster here, last night; she thinks it scared off the kooks."

Ben blinked. "Really?"

Emma nodded. "I _did!_" she protested. "It was big, and blue, and it made everything really cold!"

"Whoa, whoa!" Ben defended. "I never said I didn't believe you!"

Fin sighed. "You, too?"

Ben shrugged. "Hey, stranger things have happened!" he replied. "Just look at all the Bigfoot sightings there've been!"

Fin chuckled. "You're both hopeless!" she teased. "I'll believe there're monsters around here when I _see_ one…and even if – _if_ – there _is_ a "Mothman," it got those kooks off our beach; that makes it okay in _my_ books!"

As Fin headed off into the surf, Emma smiled. "Thanks."

Ben grinned back. "Anytime," he answered. "Sorry I wasn't more help, yesterday."

His words made Lo flinched, as she recalled his earlier accusation: "_I just thought you might help your friend!_"

"Uh…Emma?" Lo said, managing a faint smile. "I'm…I'm sorry my advice…didn't work out so well…"

Emma blinked…and then smiled back. "Aw, it's okay!" she answered. "I didn't really ask for any specifics on what to do, did I?"

Lo shrugged. "True," she agreed. "So next time you try to make my dumb brother jealous…_don't_ bring the guy to the Office!"

Emma laughed. "Deal!" With that, she headed into the surf.

Watching her friend go, Lo turned to see a bemused smile on Ben's face. "What?"

Ben shrugged. "Oh, nothing," he answered. "Just nice to see there _is_ a conscience somewhere in there, after all."

Lo rolled her eyes. "Oh, thank God! Little Benjie approves! I can rest easy!" she said sarcastically. "I was crying myself to sleep, the whole night!"

Ben frowned. "Remember what I was saying about Mutually Assured Destruction, Little Miss Lo-Berry Muffin?"

Lo's eyes narrowed. "Oh, you want destruction?" she snapped. "Well, then, you just _try_ and keep up! I will _nuke_ your butt on those waves!"

Ben glared right back. "You're on, Princess!" With that, the two of them charged into the surf.

XXXXXXXX

_**Omnitrix Database**_

_**File-name: **__Grey Matter_

_**Species-name:**__ Galvan_

_**Home planet:**__ Galvan Prime_

_**Abilities:**__ Subject possesses near incalculable intellect; subject's analytical and technical aptitude is second-to-none amongst known species. Subject's small stature and manual dexterity allows for manoeuvring in the smallest of spaces. Highly developed retinas allow for acute vision in low light associated with enclosed areas. Subject also possesses genetic memory, allowing for instant recognition and comprehension of any mechanical and technical system at even the briefest glance._

_**Description:**__ The sole sentient species of the planet Galvan Prime, the Galvan civilization rapidly rose to become one of the most technologically advanced societies in the known cosmos. With their incredible technical skills, the Galvan species gained rapid respect as masters of all things mechanical. After transforming their entire planet into one massive megalopolis, the Galvans turned their sights towards their world's moons; utilizing nanotechnology to terraform their moons, the Galvans inadvertently gave rise to a race of liquid-metal machines upon their second moon, Galvan B. Diplomatic relations followed after._

_In the wake of the Highbreed incursion, the Galvan society was the first to feel the brunt of the Highbreed armada's assault, thus paving the way for the armada to invade Earth. After the Highbreed armistice, however, one of the surviving Galvans, Azmuth – noted as the creator of the Omnitrix – returned to Galvan Prime to assist his people in the restoration of their homeworld._

_**File-name:**__ Big Chill_

_**Species-name:**__ Necrofriggian_

_**Home planet:**__ Kylmyys_

_**Abilities:**__ Subject possesses corporeal intangibility, capable of phasing through solid matter at will. Subject's metabolism is based solely on endothermic chemical reactions, causing subject to continually absorb ambient energy from surroundings, resulting in excessively low body temperature; subject is a metallic chemosynthesizer, known to consume all manner of metals and metal ores to fuel endothermic metabolism. Subject is capable of modulating its metabolism to absorb energy in uni-directional pathways, allowing for exhalation of frozen mists and projection of ice-beams from hands. During intangibility, subject retains endothermic state, absorbing energy from objects, thus freezing them during phasing. Subject's wings can be unfurled, allowing for flight, or retracted into a protective, cloak-like carapace. Subject is capable of strength well in excess of that of a human._

_**Description:**__ The nomadic denizens of the "dead" planet Kylmyys, the Necrofriggian's name derives from the fact that its children appear to be born dead, by most standards; in truth, the Necrofriggian larvae begin life in a state of dormancy, seeming inert until their bodies absorb enough ambient energy to "jump-start" their metabolism. Most Necrofriggians are hatched off-world, on planets other than Kylmyys, though some are born there. After hatching, the larvae – appearing as oversized moths – begin a long pilgrimage back to Kylmyys; once there, they begin a decades-long migration-cycle, cycling between orbiting the system's sun to absorb energy, and dwelling upon Kylmyys, matching their quantum states to its multi-dimensional energy-field, until they are capable of phasing at will. This acquisition of intangibility triggers pupation in the larvae, inducing them to bury themselves in the cold ground of Kylmyys and become dormant once more, storing just enough energy to rouse them from their sleep once the transformation into the humanoid adult form is complete. After departing from the home planet, the adult Necrofriggians wander the black of space, absorbing solar energy and cosmic radiation, pausing on nearby planets to gorge upon metals to fuel their chilly metabolism…until they one day hear nature's call, to land upon the nearest planet, and lay eggs, starting the cycle, once again._


	4. Cheese and Crackers

CHAPTER FOUR: CHEESE AND CRACKERS

_Surfer's Paradise Resort, July 9, 2010_

As the morning sun rose high over Surfer's Paradise, shining in through the window-laden atrium of the main lobby, Ben could only sigh to himself as he pushed the latest room-service cart towards the DR. '_Aw, man, it's too early for this…_'

_**BOOOOOM!**_

Ben's eyes went wide as an explosion echoed from the Dining Room, shattering the silence and derailing his train of thought. Putting the cart aside, he raced towards the main entrance, in time to see a sooty, shell-shocked Emma stumble out, coughing as she picked charred pieces of hot dogs out of her hair. "Emma, are you okay?"

Emma frowned as she flicked away a particularly large piece of hot dog. "Oh, sure," she muttered sarcastically. "I _love_ being at Ground Zero for Hot-Dog Hiroshima!"

It was only then that Ben heard a familiar pair of chortles from inside the DR. "The Marvin twins, again?"

Emma nodded. "They've been at it, all morning!" she complained. "But do you think their parents would do anything? Of course not! All I get from them is "boys will be boys"! _Urrgh!_"

Ben could only nod in grim sympathy. "Do I even want to go in there?"

"Probably not," Emma sighed, "but I think the chef does have your order ready…provided it didn't get hit in the blast."

Ben nodded in grim agreement, and was about to head into the DR to pick up the order – or at least what was left of it – but the TV-set on Johnny's desk caught his eye. "_…breaking news report: just a few miles off Sunset Beach, a distress call has been detected from a vessel belonging to hotel owner Ronald "Captain Ron" Stanhope. Coast Guard units are moving to rescue Mr. Stanhope and his family, but it is uncertain if they will make it in time…_"

Ben grimaced. "Uh…actually, Emma, I kinda forgot to do something; can you tell the chef I'll be a little late?"

Emma blinked. "Uh…okay…"

Ben was already sprinting off. "Thanks! Be right back, I promise!" With that, he dashed out of the hotel.

Racing down to the Office, Ben popped up the control-dial, twisting it until he had the alien he needed. "_Goin' hero!_" With that, he slammed it down.

As before, the Omni-energy surged over and into him, bathing him in green. Instantly, his bones began to literally melt away, while his skin began to harden, turning into a thick, orange-red shell. His legs literally retracted into his body, while his lower torso lengthened from the back, sprouting six smaller, spindly legs. His upper torso grew thinner, his arms lengthening, as his hands morphed into large, two-pronged pincers. Finally, his hair and nose simply vanished into his face, as his head grew _much_ larger than the rest of his body, compensating for his massive brain, while his cranial shell slightly parted, forming an internal hinge, capable of opening and closing at will…

…and when the energy subsided, there now stood a large, crab-like creature in Ben's place, with emerald-green eyes, and the control-dial on his chest. "_Brainstorm!_"

His change complete, Brainstorm gazed out to see. "Hmm…quite a sticky wicket, indeed," he mused to himself. "No sense meandering about, then!" With that, he began to skitter towards the water…at a considerably slower pace, to his chagrin. "Dash it, what's the point of having six legs if one cannot run with them?"

After _finally_ making it into the water, Brainstorm waded out into the deep, relief taking him as much of his bulk was lifted by buoyancy, only improving as he submerged completely, before taking off through the sea like a shot. Within minutes, he had found the large, luxurious-looking cruise-ship, its hull pierced by a large, undersea mountain-top, reaching up from the sea floor. Coming to a perfect stop, his six legs occasionally flicking to stay afloat, Brainstorm inches his head up out of the water, peering up at the ship, where he spotted a large, portly tanned man, in yellow shorts, a Hawaiian-style t-shirt, and a captain's hat – obviously "Captain Ron" – as well as a tall, strongly-built young man in black surf shorts, and a young woman, around Lo's age, with long, blonde hair, tanned skin, and hazel eyes, clad in a violet bikini – Captain Ron's kids.

They were standing by the lifeboat, clearly trying to untie it…and failing miserably.

With an exasperated sigh, Brainstorm closed his eyes, focusing as he telekinetically reached for the three panicked civilians; instantly, a golden energy-dome surrounded him, quickly expanding outward, enveloping the Stanhopes and lifting them off the deck. The dome expanded again, encircling the lifeboat, untying it and casting it out to sea, clear of the sinking cruise-ship, before depositing the Stanhopes in it. Lowering his TK-aura, Brainstorm sank back beneath the waves, swimming under the lifeboat and grasping its ventral hull with his pincers, before swimming for shore.

As he swam, he could faintly hear his passengers up above. "D-Daddy, what's going on?" the daughter wailed.

"I-I'm not sure, kitten," Captain Ron answered, "but given the circumstances, I'm not going to complain…"

His son's cry interrupted him. "_Shark!_"

Darting around, Brainstorm found the youth's warning to be true – three sharks, Great Whites all, heading straight for them, likely drawn by his motions. '_Of all the rotten luck…_' He never had time to finish his thought, as the sharks barrelled in, forcing him to react by reflex…

Instantly, his skull-plates snapped open, revealing his immense cerebral cortex, crackling with neuroelectrical energy; as the sharks drew closer and closer, Brainstorm's sparking cerebrum crackled louder, before firing a barrage of deadly shock-blasts, electrocuting the sharks and sending them swimming off.

Aboard the lifeboat, the Stanhopes could only watch as the ocean around them suddenly sparked with electricity, before the sharks swam off. "What the…Dad, what just happened?" the young man asked.

Captain Ron was equally stumped. "I…I don't know, son…"

At that moment, Brainstorm popped up out of the water, checking on his charges. "Is everyone alright?"

The Stanhopes just stared at him, gaping with horror.

It suddenly occurred to Brainstorm that, just perhaps, he'd made the wrong choice. Slowly, he started to sink back below the water's surface. "Erm…pay no attention to the Cerebrocrustacean beneath the surface…"

Even that idle reassurance was too much for them. "_EEEEEEEKK!_" the Stanhope daughter screamed. "_S-Sea monster!_"

Her brother didn't take it much better than she did, grabbing an oar and brandishing it like a club. "Get away from us, you freak!" he yelled, swinging the oar at him.

"Wait! You don't – _ow!_" Brainstorm yelped. "I am trying to – _ack!_" His eyes narrowing, he telekinetically yanked the oar from his attacker. "_Will you desist, you absolute imbecile? I am TRYING to SAVE you!_" That got the Stanhopes to calm down, though they still looked scared out of their wits. Brainstorm just sighed to himself. "_Philistines!_" With that, he gave the lifeboat one last TK-shove, sending it racing towards the shore, before ducking under the water and swimming towards the hotel beach.

Reaching the shore in minutes, Brainstorm skittered onto the sand, with not a soul in sight; with any luck, he'd have time to get to the brush, change back, and get to the hotel before anybody realized…

"Oh, _please_, sir! Just give me another chance!"

The second he recognized that voice, Brainstorm's eyes went wide, just as Bummer walked onto the beach, with a whining Wipeout close behind. "I've given you _plenty_ of chances, Wipeout," Bummer snapped. "You've had three complaints in this past week, alone!"

"That's just the Marvin kids, sir! They complained to their folks 'cause I wouldn't be their punching-bag!"

"Be that as it may," Bummer said, "if _one_ guest starts complaining, _other_ guests hear it, and we lose business! I'm sorry, Wipeout, but I have to…" He paused, as he spotted Brainstorm.

Brainstorm gulped. "Uh…I suppose an explanation is in order…"

Bummer just arched an eyebrow. "Not really," he answered. "I just didn't think Mr. Ridgemount would start advertising for a new mascot until _after_ I fired the old one." He looked Brainstorm over. "Can't say I've seen a costume like _that_, before…"

Brainstorm bristled. "Sir, do…do you take me for a mascot?"

Bummer smiled coldly as he looked to Wipeout. "Pay attention, buster: _that's_ how you do a mascot's job!" he declared. "He's not even hired, and he's _already_ in character!"

"Aw, man!" Wipeout groaned, with even his suit's dorsal-fin drooping. "And that's a really cool costume, too…"

Brainstorm thought even faster than usual. "Sir, while I do not claim to even be a mascot – let alone even wish to apply for this cetacean's present position – perhaps he might benefit from my expertise?" he supplied. "If so, then releasing him would be a trifle premature!"

Wipeout stared dumbly. "Huh?"

Bummer rolled his eyes. "He means he's going to give you some pointers, slacker!" he barked. "So pay attention, because if you flunk, you're fired!" With that, he marched off.

Turning towards Brainstorm, Wipeout scratched his head. "So…what now?"

The very second he said that, the control-dial started flaring. "I fear my tutorial shall have to wait until noon," Brainstorm said. "I must make an emergency stop at the lavatory."

Wipeout paused. "Huh?"

Brainstorm tried again. "I need to use the facilities."

Wipeout just stared.

Brainstorm sighed. "I have to go to the little crustacean's room."

Finally, Wipeout got it. "_Oh!_ Okay!" He turned to go. "Catch you later!" With that, he waddled off.

As fast as he possibly could, even using his TK for a speed-boost, Brainstorm skittered towards the nearest port-a-potty, and darted inside…seconds before a flash of crimson energy flared from the portable toilet.

After a few seconds, a now normal Ben emerged from the outhouse, breathing a relieved sigh. '_THAT was close!_' He turned to go…

…and came face-to-face with several tourists. "W-What was that light, just then?" one cried.

Ben put on his most sheepish grin. "Let me put it this way: do _NOT_ go in there!" As the astonished tourists stared at the outhouse, Ben quietly slipped away, sprinting back to the hotel. '_Man, I wonder if Captain Nemesis ever had days like this…_'

XXXXXXXX

"Hey, did you hear about the shipwreck, this morning?"

Sighing to herself at Emma's inquiry, Lo turned towards her co-worker, picking up the latest customer-order. "No, Emma, I haven't."

Emma kept going as she gathered her own trays. "Apparently, a luxury liner hit a rock a few miles from the hotel," she said. "The family that got rescued said they were saved by a strange sea-creature; they even mentioned it in today's paper! Look!"

Glancing towards the newspaper on the table, Lo instantly scowled as she recognized the cruise ship. "The _Stanhopes?_ _Ugh!_" she fumed. "Why couldn't they have sunk?"

Emma blinked. "You know them?"

"Unfortunately!" Lo muttered. "They own the hotel line that's always competing with Daddy's! Mr. Stanhope – "Captain Ron" – is a total creep, his son Jerry's a tool…and don't even get me _started_ on Cecilia!"

Emma's cherry eyebrow arched. "Cecilia?"

"Uh, hello?" Kelly's voice snapped from the main door. "Not getting paid to run your mouths, ladies! _Move_ it!" With that, Emma and Lo gathered their trays, and headed out.

Emerging into the cluster of occupied tables, Lo quickly delivered every single order to its destination, until she was left with just one. '_Banana split with BOYSENBERRY jam? Nobody likes that!_' she thought to herself, before she paled. '_Nobody…except…_'

"_Oh. Em. Gee!_"

Lo's teeth ground out of pure reflex as she turned towards her last customer. "_Cecilia,_" she spat.

Sure enough, sitting in the table behind her was her 15-year-old nemesis, Cecilia Stanhope, in her usual pink tube-top and violet miniskirt, clashing against her _obviously_ fake spray-on tan, her tacky shades resting atop her long, bleached-blonde hair, her hazel eyes twinkling cruelly. "I'd _heard_ that Ridgey had freaked after your little party and made you work here, but I'd thought it was too good to be true," she sneered. "_Now_, however…"

Lo glared at her. "Shouldn't you be off stirring your cauldron?"

Cecilia arched a golden eyebrow. "Shouldn't _you_ be giving me my order?" she replied. "Last I checked, I help pay your paycheck!"

With a huff, Lo put the dish in front of her. "_Here._"

Cecilia took one look at the dish, and scowled. "Too much cream; take it back!" she ordered. "And get it _right_, this time!"

Lo crossed her arms. "News flash, Stanhope! You _requested_ extra cream!"

"_Excuse_ me?" Cecilia snapped. "I thought the _customer_ was always right! Do I have to talk to your supervisor?"

Lo was about to scream, until she found something else to stress over. "Hey, Lo!" came Ben's voice as he walked up to her. "I've got an order for the chef; is he busy?"

Lo rolled her eyes. "_So_ not a good time, Tennyson!"

It was only then that Ben noticed Cecilia. "_Oh._ Uh…hello…"

Cecilia smiled, batting her eyelashes. "Hel-_lo._"

Lo's eyes went wide; she _knew_ that look. '_Oh, crud!_'

Cecilia was already on auto-flirt, extending a manicured hand. "Cecilia Stanhope," she purred. "And you are?"

"Ben Tennyson," Ben answered, shaking it. "Hey, you're one of the people rescued from that ship, right? You okay?"

Cecilia beamed. "Aw, you're so sweet to ask!" she crooned. "And you're right; Daddy's ship did hit a rock – we just managed to get away," she sniffled expertly, "and then that sea-monster tried to eat us!"

Ben flinched. "Sea monster?"

Lo sighed. "Relax, Tennyson," she muttered. "She probably just saw her _reflection_ in the water!"

Frowning, Cecilia switched to a sniffle before Ben saw it. "She's…she's always so _mean_ to me!" she wailed.

Ben frowned at Lo. "Yeah, she does that." Smiling at Cecilia, he scratched the back of his head. "Listen, I gotta get back to work…"

Cecilia batted her lashes once more. "See you around?"

Ben's smile turned nervous. "Maybe." With that, he headed off.

Lo whirled on Cecilia with a glare once Ben was gone. "Don't you even _THINK_ about it!"

Cecilia smiled smugly. "Jealous, Ridgemount?"

"As _if!_" Lo spat. "Tennyson may be a tool, but not even _he_ deserves to put up with you!"

Cecilia laughed. "Denial's not just a great nightclub, Ridgemount…but whatever," she sneered. "Right now, I'll skip dessert; I've got a hankering for _beef!_" With that, she got up and slinked off.

"You okay?"

Lo almost didn't hear Emma over the grinding of her teeth until her coworker was right next to her. Emma's expression was sympathetic. "Was that Cecilia?"

"_So_ don't want to talk about it!"

Emma grimaced. "That bad, huh?" She managed a faint smile. "Look, my shift's over now, but if you need to talk…"

Lo sighed. "No, I'm fine," she muttered. "Something tells me Stupid Stanhope has _other_ fish to fry." With that, she headed back into the kitchen, while Emma headed out.

Gathering her trays, Lo's face twisted in a scowl. '_"Tried to eat us" my butt!_' she mentally fumed. '_I wish I __**could**__ have seen that sea-monster…so I could kick its butt for not eating that little brat!_'

XXXXXXXX

After dropping off his latest room-service request, Ben quickly made his way back to the lobby. "Okay, Johnny, Room 1103's order is taken care of," he reported. "What's next?" Johnny didn't answer; he just leaned his head on his hand, staring blissfully off into empty space. "Johnny?" Confused, he followed his supervisor's gaze…right to Emma as she was walking out.

A knowing smile creased Ben's face. "Oh, I get it," he chuckled. "Somebody's got a red-headed distraction, huh?"

Johnny's eyes went wide. "W-Wha?" he stammered. "I-I don't know what you're talking about!"

"What who's talkin' about, bro?" Broseph asked as he walked up.

Johnny paled. "N-Nothing, Broseph!" he babbled. "We weren't talking about anything!"

"No," Ben agreed, "just about how a certain somebody here's sweet on Emma."

Broseph blinked. "Somebody's makin' moves on Emma?" he asked. He glanced to Johnny. "Sorry, bro."

Johnny's face was flat. "He meant _me_, dude."

"Oh."

Chuckling, Ben inched his head in Emma's direction. "So, you gonna ask her out?"

"Are you nuts, man? I can't do that!" Johnny cried. "She's hung up on Ty!"

Ben arched an eyebrow. "So?" he asked. "What's the worst she can do? Say no?"

"Oh, she can do worse, man," Johnny corrected. "She could say "_You're such a great friend"_."

Ben and Broseph both flinched. "The Friend Zone, man?" Broseph asked. "_Ouch._"

Ben nodded. "Many a guy has been stranded in those depths," he agreed. "Okay, maybe she _could_ do worse than just "No," but you never know, right? I know _I_ was pleasantly surprised when the girl _I_ liked said yes! And I'd have never found out if my cousin hadn't given me that last little kick in the butt!"

"Yeah?" Johnny asked. "How'd that turn out?"

Ben flinched. "Uh…"

"Guys?"

The three of them turned towards Wipeout as he waddled into view. "Have any of you seen a guy in a crab suit, lately?"

Spotting the time, Ben flinched. '_Oh, crap!_' "Uh, listen guys, I need to step out for a sec, okay?" he asked. "Gotta make a stop in the bathroom!"

Johnny arched an eyebrow. "Uh…okay."

"Thanks!" Quickly darting out of the lobby, Ben made a beeline for the washroom, making sure no-one was around, and then hopped in, popping up the Omnitrix's dial and slamming it down.

Instantly, the Omni-flash shone from under the bathroom door, before a clicking echoed from the other side; finally managing to grasp the handle with his pincers, Brainstorm stepped out with a sigh. '_There MUST be a better way,_' he groused to himself, before skittering back to the lobby.

As he clattered into view, Wipeout was the first to spot him. "Dude, you made it!"

Johnny and Broseph were both wide-eyed. "Whoa, dude, that is one freaky-lookin' costume."

Johnny nodded. "It's certainly realistic…"

"_Yaaaaaaaaaay!_"

At those two childish voices, Wipeout flinched. "Oh, no…they've been into the soda, again…"

Seconds later, two red-haired, slightly overweight boys – the Marvin twins – darted into the lobby. "Whoa, check out that guy!" one exclaimed. "He's some kinda super-crab!"

Brainstorm's eyes narrowed. "Super…crab?" he repeated. "I beg your pardon?"

The other laughed. "Hey, he talks funny!" he chortled. "Like some snooty professor!"

"Yeah, Professor Crab-Cakes!"

Brainstorm could feel his neurons crackling under his skull-shell. "Of all the impudent…"

"Welcome to _my_ universe, dude," Wipeout muttered.

Turning to glare at the twins, Brainstorm found them gone…along with a loop of rope wrapped around one of his legs. "W-What the deuce?" The second he said that, he heard an engine whir to life, as the twins raced by on a golf-cart…with a rope trailing behind it!

Brainstorm's eyes went wide. "Children, _halt!_" he cried, trying to clasp the rope with his pincers, to no avail. "_Cease! DESIST!_" The Marvin twins paid him no mind, as the rope went taut, dragging him along behind them.

Johnny and Broseph could only watch as Brainstorm bounced through the lobby, dragged by his twin tormentors. "Dude, that's just wrong," Broseph said.

"Cruelty to animals," Johnny agreed.

"Lean into the turn!" Wipeout called to Brainstorm. "Yeah, that's it! Just watch out for the fish-tank…"

Brainstorm barely got a chance to hear him, as the twins turned wide, smacking him into the large glass fish-tank in the middle of the lobby. '_Ugh…I must be concussed; it looks like that fish and that shark are conversing…_'

"Yay! Let's go again!"

'_Oh, dear God…_'

XXXXXXXX

_A few minutes earlier_

After finally finishing her shift, Lo quickly headed back to the staff-house, donning her bikini and grabbing her board, before storming towards the beach; between dealing with Kelly, Ben, and Stupid Stanhope, she could _use_ a surf-sesh to calm down.

By the time she'd gotten to the public beach, the sun had started to set, painting the sky a brilliant orange, but more importantly, most of the tourists had headed back to the hotel, leaving the surf mostly open. Sighing to herself, she headed towards the water…

"Let me take you to the edge with me…"

Hearing that familiar voice, Lo paused, turning to her left, where she spied Reef out in the surf, up to his knees, along with a long-haired blond girl, clad in a red-white, polka-dot bikini – obviously, the girl was one of his surf-students…and was eating up every cheesy line he was feeding her.

"…and that concludes the lesson," Reef finally said. "Any questions?"

"Y-Yeah!" the girl stammered, blushing. "Are you free, tomorrow night? Because there was a movie marathon tomorrow…"

Reef grinned. "Consider it a date."

"G-Great!" the girl gushed. "See you then!" With that, she hurried off, while a smug Reef headed back to the staff house.

Lo could only watch in mild bewilderment. '_"Take you to the edge with me?"_' she thought. '_Okay, ew!_' Still, as lame as that line had been, it sounded kinda familiar…

"Total cheese-fest, right?"

Turning, Lo spotted Fin and Emma walking back to shore. "Okay, I'm all for sisterhood, but any girl dumb enough to fall for those kinda lines _deserves_ a bad date!" Lo replied, walking back onto the sand with her friends. "Did you _hear_ him?"

"I know, right? Seriously, you need crackers just to listen to him!" Fin agreed. "And the worst part is that he stole those lines from "Break Point"!"

Lo blinked. "That old surf movie?"

"Exactly! It's so wrong!"

Emma giggled. "So what do you care?"

"It's just…it's _wrong!_" Fin stammered.

Lo smirked. "Uh-huh," she said. "We believe you…" Her teasing was derailed as something bumped into her, knocking her into her fellow groms, sending them sprawling onto the sand. Her eyes narrowed, Lo turned to glare at the tool that knocked her over, but her eyes went wide, as she saw some kind of…crab-thing, standing there.

The crab, looking harried, raised his pincers in defence. "I…I assure you ladies there is an explanation!"

By then, Fin and Emma had seen him, as well. "_Whoa!_" Fin laughed. "I'd heard Wipeout was getting some pointers from an expert, but _man!_ Wickedly realistic costume, pal!"

The crab just blinked. "Um…thank you?"

Lo looked nervous. "Fin, wait a minute…"

The crab interrupted. "Ladies, if I might ask, should you see two sociopathic, misbegotten, prepubescent miscreants follow, you most assuredly _did not see me!_"

Emma giggled. "The Marvin twins?"

The crab looked ready to answer, but the fast-approaching childish laughter made his eyes go wide. "Drat!" Frantically, he bolted into the brush, skittering as fast as he could, and not a moment too soon.

Seconds after the crab left, the Marvin twins ran up. "Hey, where'd Professor Crab-Cakes go?" one asked.

The other looked up at Emma. "Did you see him?"

Emma shook her head. "Nope. Sorry." Dejected, the twins turned around, heading back to the hotel.

Once the twins were gone, the three of them burst out laughing. ""Professor Crab-Cakes"?" Fin repeated, snorting. "Oh, _man!_ That poor sap!"

Lo laughed just as hard as Fin…until she spotted a flash of red light out of the corner of her eye, coming from the forest. "Hey…did you guys just see that?"

Fin paused. "See what?"

"That red flash!" Lo insisted. "It came from the forest, where that crab went!"

Emma chewed her lip. "Uh…not really."

Fin arched an eyebrow. "This another "monster," Lo?"

"I don't know!" Lo exclaimed, peering through the woods. "I just know I saw it!"

"Saw what?"

Lo frowned reflexively as Ben walked up behind them, in uniform. "Aren't you supposed to still be working?"

Ben grinned sheepishly. "Uh, yeah," he said. "I just…needed to take a walk."

"Through the woods?"

Ben chuckled. "What can I say? It relaxes me!" His smile dimmed. "Everything okay?"

"Oh, sure," Fin said. "Lo just thinks she saw another monster."

Lo huffed. "I _didn't_ say that!"

Emma giggled. "She thinks the other mascot's costume is real."

"_Emma!_"

Ben shrugged. "Hey, I wouldn't blame her; I've seen the guy," he said. "He _really_ gets into character…"

"Hi, handsome!"

Lo's teeth ground as she saw Cecilia walk up to them, clad in a silver bikini, her shades down over her eyes. Flashing a smug smile at Lo for a second, she turned it up into the megawatt range, her teeth practically sparkling as she batted her eyelashes at Ben. "I never got the chance to see you, afterwards," she cooed.

Ben scratched the back of his head. "Yeah, I was…a little busy."

Lifting her shades from her eyes, Cecilia shrugged her shoulders prettily. "Do you surf around here, too?"

"Oh, sure," Ben said, "as long as the waves don't throw me off."

Cecilia giggled – a sound that sent chills up and down Lo's spine. "Are you _serious?_"

"Yep; there was this one wave that bucked me like a raging bull – I must've flown a good 15 feet."

Fin laughed. "Yeah, he's not lying; we saw it happen!" she agreed. "Funniest thing I ever saw!"

Ben's smile dimmed a bit. "Thanks, Fin."

"Anytime."

Cecilia giggled again. "Listen…did you want to do something, sometime?"

Lo's eyes nearly bugged out of her head. '_No. Way!_'

Ben's expression turned nervous. "I don't know; my schedule's still up in the air…"

"Okay," Cecilia said, before she stepped forward and took a pen from Ben's pocket. "But, if you change your mind," she scribbled a number on Ben's forearm, "call me?"

Ben smiled faintly. "Okay." With one last smile, Cecilia walked off.

Irate, Lo's hands went to her hips. "Tell me you didn't just fall for that!"

Ben blinked. "Huh?"

"Wise _up_, Tennyson!" Lo snapped. "The only reason Stupid Stanhope is after you is because she thinks _I_ like you!"

Ben scowled. "Oh, of course," he shot back. "It _couldn't_ be because she might actually _like_ me! Perish the thought!"

Lo rolled her eyes. "Look, I'm only saying…"

"Whatever, Princess," Ben muttered. "I got a shift to finish." With that, he stormed off.

Fin chuckled. "Lovers' spat?"

Lo frowned as she picked up her board. "Shut up."

Spotting the waves that were coming in, Emma smiled. "One more sesh?"

"Music to my ears!" Fin declared. "Lo?"

Lo was already wading in. "Whatever! Just stay _out_ of my way!" With that, she started paddling into a large wave, while her two friends waded in after her.

XXXXXXXX

After finishing up his shift, Ben made his way back to the staff-house, shedding his uniform and donning his surf-shorts, hoping to have enough time to catch a few waves as the daylight faded…but by the time he was ready, the sun had long since dipped far below the horizon, with only a few rays left. '_Oh, well; better luck, next day,_' he thought, before he spotted the light of a campfire on the beach through his window. Curious, he headed downstairs, and walked outside, to check it out.

Reaching the public beach, Ben found the rest of his coworkers there, in their swim-gear, around a campfire, chatting as they roasted hot-dogs. Emma was the first to spot him. "Hey, Ben!" she greeted. "You just made it! We've only got a few hot-dogs left!"

Fin nodded. "The specialty of the evening is cheese-dogs," she added. "Just toast 'em in the fire for a minute, and then hold 'em next to Reef's mouth; his lines'll do the rest."

Reef smirked. "Blair didn't seem to mind!"

Ben arched an eyebrow as he sat down, taking a roasting stick. "Somebody mind filling me in?"

"The dude hooked up with a mad hot surf-chick from his surf class, bro," Broseph explained. "Fin's givin' him a hard time 'cause he used lines from that old movie Break Point."

"The one about the undercover cop posing as a surfer?" Ben asked. "They still run that?"

"That's the one." It was then that Broseph spied the ink on Ben's arm. "Looks like he's not the only one! Congrats on the hook-up, dude!"

Confused, Ben glanced at his arm, spotting Cecilia's number. "Oh, yeah; almost forgot."

Lo frowned. "Do yourself a favour, Tennyson; _forget_ that number! Cecilia Stanhope is a total pain!"

Reef's eyes went wide. "_Stanhope?_ The heiress of Captain Ron's hotel-chain? The blonde hottie? _She's_ your hook-up?" He grinned. "How'd you do it? Tell her you're some kinda surfing rock-star?"

"Uh…not really," Ben said. "I just…mentioned my aerial wipe-out."

Reef's face collapsed. "That's _it?_" he asked. "No way, man! You _must_ have some trick! Spill!"

Fin gasped. "You mean instead of using some cheesy lines, Ben got a girl to go out with him by being _honest_ with her?" she asked archly. "You're absolutely _right_, Barnacle-Brains; he's some kind of diabolical genius!"

Sensing an argument brewing, Ben raised his hands. "Look, guys, it's no big deal; I haven't even called her and asked her out, yet."

Reef's eyes bugged out of his head. "Why _not?_" he asked. "She's two-thirds of the perfect chick?"

Fin's eyes narrowed. ""The perfect chick?"" she asked. "Care to elaborate?"

"Duh!" Reef said. "Hot, rich, and…"

Fin's murderous gaze telling him that Reef would be _dead_ if he finished, Ben quickly jumped in. "It's just…I don't think it's a good time, right now," he explained. "A couple months back, I…I was in a relationship, and…now I'm not."

"So?" Reef asked. "If some betty dumps you, just score with a hotter one!"

"_Ugh!_" Fin snapped, standing up. "You are such a total _pig!_" With that, she stormed off.

Reef just snorted. "Man, talk about your spaz-outs," he muttered. "Anyway, I was planning on taking Blair to the movies, tomorrow; it's The Kahuna's shift at the theatre, so us groms get in free, dudes!"

"Sweet!" Broseph exclaimed. "What's showing, bro?"

"Total surf-movie marathon, dude!" Reef answered. Glancing to Ben, he grinned. "So, you gonna ask that hottie out?"

Ben's face collapsed. "I don't know," he said, standing up. "Listen, I…I'd better get back, so I'll see you guys tomorrow." Before anyone could respond, he walked off.

Returning to his room, Ben sighed to himself, sitting on the edge of his bed. '_God, what's the matter with me?_' he thought. Glancing to his duffel bag, his eyes caught a glint of metal…

His expression saddening, Ben reached in, and fished out the kanji-pendant, the one memento he had left of Julie, as his mind flashed back to their last words…

"_My parents are moving…_"

"_We shouldn't see each other, anymore…_"

"_I didn't want it to be this way…but you're so much…BIGGER than I am…_"

"_Promise me you'll find someone…_"

His eyes squeezing shut at the memory, Ben's hand clenched around the pendant, before letting go…and spotting the number on his arm.

Slowly, he smiled to himself – it was time to take Julie's advice. Fishing out his cell-phone, he dialled in the number. "Hello? Cecilia? It's Ben. I was just wondering if you were doing anything, tomorrow night…"

XXXXXXXX

_Surfer's Paradise, July 10_

"Okay, _how_ did I get roped into this one, again? It's not exactly in my job description…"

As she opened the closet in the suite that she, Emma, and Fin had been sent to tidy, Lo frowned to herself. "Seriously, this kinda thing is _Rosie's_ job, Fin; I get how you're stuck here, but why did Emma and I get drafted?"

Fin shrugged. "Beats me; all I know is when Bummer says "Jump," we say "How high?""

Emma giggled. "Look at it this way, Lo: we _could_ be in the DR with Kelly, right now!"

Lo shrugged. "I guess that's something," she agreed. "So, you both going to the movie-marathon, tonight?"

Emma nodded. "Wouldn't miss it!" she exclaimed. Grinning, she added, "What about you, Fin? Still going, even though Reef's taking that girl Blair?"

"Wouldn't miss it!" Fin answered. "Especially since Kahuna's showing Break Point."

Lo's eyes went wide. "_No…_"

"Oh, yeah," Fin chuckled slyly. "Cheeseball's goin' _down._"

Emma blinked. "You got Kahuna to show it?"

"Hey, a guy gets agreeable when you promise to wash his whale-bus."

Lo smirked. "Obsessed, much?" she asked, putting a blue dress onto a hangar. "Why do you even care?"

"Are you serious?" Fin replied. "He _can't_ get away with using lines that cheesy! Somebody has to bust him!"

Emma started to smirk now. "And the fact that he'll be on a date has _nothing_ to do with it?"

Fin's eyes narrowed. "You going somewhere with that, Alberta?"

"Duh!" Emma exclaimed. "You _like_ him!"

Fin did a double-take. "_WHAT?_"

"Oh, don't even _try_ to deny it, Fin!" Lo agreed. "You _totally_ want him; you probably want to have, like, a hundred of his surfer-babies!"

"Oh, _hell_ no!" Fin shouted. "He's a total _tool!_ He's, like, a tool _shed!_"

Emma giggled. "You're cleaning a _bus_ for him, Fin…"

"_Only_ on principle!" Fin corrected. "Girls should _not_ have to deal with cheesiness from guys…especially _stolen_ cheesiness! We have to say _No_ to the cheese!"

Lo arched an eyebrow. "Sounds convincing, right?"

Emma nodded. "_Almost._"

Seeing Fin's irate expression, Lo changed the subject. "Okay, I don't know who this girl is, but she has decent taste," she commented, taking out a violet sundress. "Are you thinking what I'm thinking?"

Emma went pale. "W-What do you mean?"

"I'm sure she won't mind if we borrow a few dresses for tonight," Lo continued. "We just need to make sure we get them back here before she notices…"

"Room service!"

At the sound of that voice, Lo frowned as Ben opened the door, pushing a food-cart. Seeing them there, Ben arched an eyebrow. "Wrong room?"

"Room 1107?" Fin asked. Ben nodded. "You're in the right place, States; they stepped out."

Ben sighed. "Of course they did." Turning to go, he noticed Lo holding the dress. "You wouldn't be planning on doing anything with that, would you?"

Flushing angrily, Lo zipped her hands behind her, hiding the dress. "You wouldn't be planning on doing anything with Stupid Stanhope, would you?"

Ben's eyes narrowed in annoyance. "That happens to be _my_ business, missy."

"You _are!_" Lo accused. "Seriously, Tennyson, did you not hear _anything_ I've said? That girl is _way_ high-maintenance!"

Ben snorted. "Says the expert on the subject."

"I'm not joking, Ben!" Lo insisted. "Yeah, Cecilia has the sweetie-pie act down to a science, but the _minute_ you're alone with her, _out_ come the claws! She's bossy, snobbish, obnoxious, and a total pain in the butt!"

Ben's dry laugh answered her. "Oh, is that right? Well, thanks for telling me!" he snapped. "If all that's true, then I guess there's no point; I might as well be dating _you!_"

Lo let out a gasp of surprise, before she glared back at him. "Last time I try to do something nice for _you_, you jerk!"

""Something nice"?" Ben repeated. "What an idea! Now I've heard _everything!_" With that, he stormed off.

Feeling her face burning red with fury, Lo shouted after him, "Well, when that little skank turns uberbitch on you, _don't_ come crying to me!" Turning around, she expected to see similar indignant expressions on her coworkers' faces…only to find a knowing smirk on Fin's face, while Emma looked ready to burst into giggles. "What?"

"So, according to your logic," Fin began, "if my arguing with Cheeseball means I like him…then you and Ben must already be planning your _wedding_, by now."

Lo almost dropped the dress she'd been hiding. "_Wh-Wh-WHAT?_"

"Lo, come _on!_" Emma exclaimed. "You're _obviously_ hot for him!"

Lo could barely speak. "I…I am _not_ dignifying that with a response!"

Fin arched an eyebrow. "Oh? Then you're bugging out about Cecilia asking him out because…why?"

Lo frowned. "How about because Cecilia snagged a guy _I_ was interested in, last year?" she snapped. "I was just about to ask him out, when she comes in and scoops him up!"

Fin smirked. "And now she's doing it again?"

"_NO!_"

Emma giggled. "Then why all the fuss?"

"Tennyson may be a tool, but _nobody_ deserves to deal with Cecilia!" Lo answered, frowning. "Or so I'd _thought!_"

Fin smirked. "Sounds convincing, right?"

Emma grinned. "_Almost!_"

Lo suppressed an annoyed scream. "Look, are you two in on borrowing these dresses or not?"

"After Ben just saw you? No way," Fin said. "There's no chance we could pull it off, now."

Emma nodded. "I don't think you should either, Lo; you'd get in _big_ trouble."

"Fine," Lo muttered, rolling her eyes as she put the dress back. "I'm on break, okay?" With that, she strode out of the room, to cool off.

'_Those two are WAY off-base!_' she thought angrily. '_I SO don't like Ben Tennyson! I was just trying to save some poor sucker from Stupid Stanhope's clutches! That's ALL!_'

But even as she thought that, her face stayed rosy…

XXXXXXXX

By the time Ben got off his shift, it was nearly sunset, with less than half an hour before his date. Practically sprinting back to the staff-house, Ben quickly darted into his room, and donned his regular clothes. After slipping his jacket over his t-shirt, Ben was about to go, but a glint of metal caught his eye.

The kanji pendant.

Grasping hold of the chain, Ben gazed at it for a moment, before slipping it around his neck, hiding it under his t-shirt. '_Well, Julie, you wanted me to find someone else,_' he thought. '_Wish me luck…_'

His change complete, Ben hurried downstairs, in time to spot the others, also in their regular street-wear, as they were heading out. "Hey, you made it!" Fin exclaimed. "We were just gonna catch the whale-bus into town."

"Sounds like a plan," Ben answered, his eyebrows dipping lower as he glanced towards Lo, "unless someone has any objections…"

Lo crossed her arms. "I _warned_ you, Tennyson; what happens next is on _your_ head."

Fin and Emma shared knowing smirks.

Reef just grinned. "You asked her out, right?"

Ben shrugged. "Hey, I can't make a _worse_ mess than my last relationship, right?"

Broseph chuckled. "Way to get back on the horse, bro."

Ben smiled, but it faded as he spotted the local news on the TV…depicting a hijacked armoured car on the run just outside of Sunset Beach's limits. '_Darn it, of all the lousy rotten timing…_' "Actually, guys, I just remembered: I have a couple errands to run just before I head out, so you'd better go on without me – I'll catch up later."

Emma looked stricken. "How will you get there? The whale-bus only makes one run before the movies start!"

"I'll…catch a cab or something!" Ben answered, as he headed out the door. "Don't worry; I'll see you all there!" With that, he sprinted into the woods, popping up the Omnitrix's dial, and slamming it down. "_Jetray!_" His change complete, Jetray darted into the sky, zooming off into the horizon.

At speeds well in excess of Mach Five, Jetray found the renegade armoured car in seconds, flying above it like a fearsome bird of prey that had just spotted its next meal. His eyes flashing, Jetray fired a neuroshock surge into its right front wheel, frying its axle and sending the car careening onto the side of the road, flipping onto its side and skidding to a stop. With the car disabled, the three crooks in the back poured out, but Jetray was more than ready; dive-bombing them at blistering speed, he grabbed up one in his hind claws and threw him into the second, knocking both of them out, before pasting the third with a neuroshock from his tail. Hearing police sirens in the distance, Jetray knew it was time to go, quickly darting back into the air and heading for town, leaving the crooks to the police.

He had just reached Sunset Beach's limits when the control-dial started to flash. '_No, no, no! Not now!_' Despite his silent urgings, the dial's alert kept pulsing, forcing him to make an emergency landing in an empty alley; the second his feet touched ground, a flare of ruby light burst from the dial, leaving Ben in the alley…and over several blocks from the theatre, with less than five minutes before his date. "Crap, crap, _crap!_"

Sprinting out of the alley, Ben ran towards the theatre for all he was worth, but he knew it was no use; he was going to be late, and Cecilia would _not_ be impressed…

Rounding a corner, Ben paused as he spotted one shop, still open, and smiled, before darting in, to make one quick purchase.

He might be late, but at least now he had a chance to make up for it…

XXXXXXXX

_Sunset Theatre, a few minutes earlier_

After piling into the whale-bus, Lo and the others only had to wait a few minutes for Blair to arrive…wearing the violet sundress she had eyed, earlier.

She was suddenly glad – if only for a moment – that Ben had walked in on them. '_She'd probably try and get us fired…_'

Within minutes, the bus had pulled up to the theatre, allowing them to get out. With Blair happily wrapped around his arm, Reef walked up to the booth. "Allow me," he offered, paying for their tickets.

Blair beamed. "You're such a gentleman."

Fin just gagged.

Looking around, Emma's cherry eyebrows dipped worriedly. "Where's Ben?" she asked. "You'd think he'd be here, by now."

Lo shrugged. "Maybe he took my warning seriously," she said. "As long as Stanhope's not here, I'm happy…"

_Bee-bee-bee-beep!_

The sound of that car-horn sent a sickening sensation running up and down Lo's spine as a cream-coloured limo pulled up. The passenger door promptly opened, allowing Cecilia, in a shimmery blue miniskirt, a pink halter, and violet high-heeled sandals, to step out. Noting their expressions, she smirked. "On land or on sea, I _have_ to be me!"

Broseph could only blink. "Gotta hand it to the betty; she can make an entrance."

Spotting Lo, Cecilia's smirk turned nasty. "Love your dress, Ridgemount; not everyone can pull off the Clearance-look."

Lo just glared back. "The sideshow-skank-look is even _harder_; how _do_ you do it, Stanhope?"

"Ben didn't seem to think so."

Lo smirked. "Then why isn't he here?"

"Hey, guys!"

As Ben ran up, Lo's smirk collapsed, but before she could say anything, Cecilia rounded on him, her hands on her hips, her eyes narrowed angrily. "You're _late!_"

His hands hidden behind his back, Ben kept his cool. "I know, I know," he answered. "I just…wanted to pick you up a little something special." With that, he produced a bouquet of roses from behind his back. "Lovely flowers for a lovely lady!"

Lo's eyes went wide.

Cecilia's mood did an instant 180. "Flowers? For me?" she cooed. "How _thoughtful!_" She took the bouquet, inhaling its fragrance. "_Thank_ you!"

Ben just breathed a relieved sigh.

Reef chuckled. "Ah, the Boyfriend Bouquet," he quipped under his breath. "A classic!"

Broseph nodded. "And that was a perfect execution by our boy Ben; that little move took him out of the doghouse and put him back in the game, bro."

As Cecilia left the bouquet in her limo, the rest of them quickly bought tickets once The Kahuna took his spot behind the booth. "You're in for a real treat, dudes," The Kahuna said. "Our first movie is an oldie-but-goodie: Break Point!"

Reef's face paled at the same time Fin smirked. Managing to recover, Reef grinned at his date. "Blair, babe, I've been thinking," he said, "maybe we should head somewhere else; you know, where we can be alone…"

"And miss out on this classic?" Fin chuckled. "We wouldn't _hear_ of it!" With that, she shoved the two of them into the theatre.

Emma chuckled. "Guess we'd better get seats."

Cecilia nodded. "Benjie, be a dear and get me some popcorn, will you?"

Ben cringed at the nickname. "Uh…sure."

As Lo and Emma followed Cecilia into the theatre, they took their seats next to Fin, who was sitting a few rows above Reef and Blair. Fin was smiling gleefully. "And now we just sit back and watch the fun!"

Emma's expression was a bit guilty. "You were right about Cecilia, Lo; talk about _mean!_" she exclaimed. "Poor Ben…"

"I know!" Lo agreed. "In Cecilia's universe, "boyfriend" equals "unpaid servant!""

Fin chuckled. "And to think, you could have saved him by asking him out."

Lo frowned. "You're one to talk." Thankfully, the movie's introduction drowned out Fin's retort, forcing them into silence. Her eyes narrowed, Lo could only watch as Ben walked in, sitting next to Cecilia…seconds before she made another request, sending him on another errand.

'_It's his own fault,_' Lo thought. '_I warned him, and he didn't listen!_' Still, she couldn't help but feel a _little_ bad…but that was only because she knew how Cecilia operated.

It _wasn't_ because she liked Ben.

Not by a _long_ shot.

XXXXXXXX

"Ugh, I'm out of soda; Benjie, could you get me a refill?"

Feeling his eye start to tick at that nickname, Ben calmly walked out of the cinema, to grant his date's request…for what had to be the _fifth_ time in a row.

And the movie hadn't even finished the opening credits, yet.

Walking to the concessions stand, Ben fished out his wallet. "Could I get a large soda, please?"

"_Another_ one?" the cashier asked…before his face clouded in understanding. "For your lady friend, right?"

"Yeah."

The cashier chuckled, shaking his head pityingly. "You poor chump." With that, he walked towards the soda-dispenser.

Ben's face utterly collapsed. '_Why do I get the feeling that he's seen guys in my situation, before?_' he thought. Before, he'd thought Lo's warning was far-fetched, but now…

"Rough night, huh?"

Glancing over his shoulder, Ben found Fin standing in line behind him. "Yeah, and it hasn't even started, yet," he agreed. "Did Lo send you here to say she told me so?"

Fin snorted with laughter. "Nah; I just wanted to grab some munchies for the _real_ show."

Ben arched an eyebrow. "The real show?"

"Duh! When the movie-guy says one of Reef's lame lines, and Blair slaps him for it!"

Ben gulped. "So you knew Kahuna was going to show Break Point?"

Fin grinned slyly. "I _got_ Kahuna to show Break Point."

Ben paled. "You are one scary lady."

"Thanks!"

After the cashier returned with their refreshments, Ben and Fin headed back towards the cinema, but as Ben walked past the main doors, he stopped as he spotted a car pulling up to a closed store on the other side of the road, its four occupants getting out…all wearing ski-masks. '_Oh, you have got to be KIDDING me!_' "Uh, Fin?" he asked, holding out the soda he'd picked up. "Would you mind handing this to Cecilia when you go in? I need to…make a stop in the bathroom."

Fin arched an eyebrow. "You're not going to try and ditch her, are you?"

"No, no, no! No ditching!" Ben assured her. "It's just…that popcorn is _really_ going right through me…"

Fin's hand shot up. "No details!" she exclaimed, taking the soda. "I'll do it, but if she freaks out, you owe me _big_-time!"

"Got it! Thanks!" Ben replied, hurrying around the corner where the washrooms were, and waiting until Fin was out of sight, before creeping his way out of the theatre and across the street, into the alley the four potential crooks had gone. Sure enough, they were there, trying to pry open a side-entrance with a crowbar. His eyes narrowed, Ben popped up the control-dial, made his choice, and slammed it down.

Instantly, the Omni-wave surged through him, energizing every cell in his body…and causing them to liquefy; his internal organs dissolved, literally coming apart, while his bones, muscles, skin, and blood all turned to jelly, with even his clothes disintegrating, forming a large puddle of green protoplasm on the ground. The Omnitrix was the only thing left intact, until it, too, came apart; the watch's frame promptly expanded, leaving the control-dial embedded in the protoplasm, before reassembling itself into a small, hovering device, reminiscent of a flying saucer. Activating its gravity-matrix, the saucer flitted over the green pubble of biomass, before extending its gravity-field, and pulling the puddle up, forming a humanoid goo-entity, with glowing yellow eyes. The change complete, the goo-creature's neural field filtered across to the saucer, translating its thoughts into a high-pitched, squeaky voice. "_GOOOOOOOOP!_"

Ignoring the flash of emerald light that shone from around the corner, the four crooks kept at the door, trying to crack it open…until a translucent green pseudopod snapped out like a whip, engulfing the leader's crowbar and yanking it away. "Last I checked, the Midnight Madness Sale wasn't for a few more weeks!" Goop squeaked, as he squished into view. "If you guys were gonna camp out, you probably should've brought camping-gear!"

One crook paled. "What the…what the hell _IS_ that thing?"

The leader snarled, drawing his pistol. "_I'll_ tell you what it is: _dead!_" With that, he unloaded three rounds…which splatted into Goop's torso, slowing as they passed through his jelly-like interior, before finally dissolving. Frantic, the others tried to draw their guns, but Goop snapped out several more pseudopods, snatching away their weapons and pulling them into his body, where his acidic cells easily dissolved them. Before the crooks could try anything else, Goop's pseudopods snapped again, grabbing one thug and stuffing him into his jelly-filled torso, and then violently ejected him before he could even get the lightest chemical-burn, sending him crashing into another.

With only half their number left, the two remaining crooks ran for their lives, darting towards their car and hopping in. The leader fumbled for the keys, but before he could turn the ignition, a torrent of green slime _splatted_ over the car…and then suddenly vanished. For a moment, the two crooks let out sighs of relief…until neon-green gunk started oozing out of the dash; seconds later, the hood of the car simply exploded outwards in a hailstorm of slime, revealing an utterly ruined engine beneath it. Dismayed and horrified, the two crooks could only stare as Goop reconstituted himself in front of their car, his eerie yellow eyes narrowing…before they raised their hands, surrendering.

His task complete, Goop relaxed as he heard police cars in the distance…until he glanced towards the theatre. '_Oh, crap!_' Adjusting his gravity-saucer, Goop let it drag him back across the street, and around to the side; with any luck, he could slip back in before anyone noticed…

XXXXXXXX

_A few minutes earlier_

"You _jerk!_"

_SMACK!_

The sound of the slap echoed for several seconds as an utterly furious Blair stormed out of the cinema, with Reef following close behind, a red palm-print on the side of his face. "Blair! Blair, wait!" he cried, but it was no use. Scowling, he turned back towards the chuckling Fin. "This is all _your_ fault, you sicko! Are you happy, now?"

Fin just smirked. "Happier than I'd thought I'd be."

"Oh, whatever!" Reef snapped. "You are _so_ going to pay for this!"

By then, Lo, Emma, and Broseph had followed their two friends out into the main lobby. Seeing them arguing, Lo chuckled. "Oh, yeah; they're into each other."

"Totally, dudette," Broseph agreed.

"_Ugh!_ Where _is_ he?"

Hearing that whine, Lo's smirk grew as an irate Cecilia stomped into view. "It does _not_ take ten minutes to go to the bathroom! Ben should be _back_ here, by now!"

Lo shrugged. "Guess he finally wised up."

Fin frowned. "I don't know, Lo; he told me he wasn't ditching…"

"Oh, trust me, Fin; Stanhope has sent boys running for the hills for _way_ less than what she heaped on Ben, tonight," Lo answered. Seeing Cecilia looking ready to explode, she changed the subject. "I'll be right back; I just need to freshen up." With that, she walked off, heading into the corridor that led to the washrooms…

_Splot!_

Hearing that squishy sound, Lo stopped, and looked down. "Oh, _gross!_" she cried, seeing her left sandal mired in a puddle of green slime. "Doesn't anybody clean these…floors…" Her voice slowly trailed off, as she realized something.

She hadn't stepped in a green slimy puddle.

She'd stepped on a green slimy _foot._

That was attached to a green slimy _leg._

That was attached to a green slimy _body._

Her eyes wide, Lo slowly looked up, meeting the neon-yellow stare of the slime-monster standing right in front of her…

"_EEEEEEKKK!_"

Lo's shrill scream filled the air as she sprinted away as fast as she could, ignoring the sudden flash of red light that flared in her wake, her sandal squishing against the floor. In seconds, she'd caught up with the others. Cecilia smirked cruelly. "Movie-snacks not agreeing with you, Ridgemount?"

Lo completely ignored her. "_M-M-Monster!_" she cried, pointing towards the bathroom. "There's some kind of _slime-monster_, back there!"

Fin groaned, slapping her palm to her forehead. "Not again…"

Lo stamped her foot. "I'm _serious_, Fin! I saw it!"

Broseph brightened. "There's a real-live _monster_ back there, bra?" he asked. "_Cool!_" With that, he darted into the hallway…only to walk back seconds later, disappointed. "You sure it was back here, dudette?" he asked. "'Cause I'm not seein' anything…"

"Well, of _course_ you're not!" Fin exclaimed. "Because there are _no such things _as monsters!"

Lo's eyes narrowed. "Well then how do you explain it?"

Cecilia chuckled. "Isn't it obvious?" she sneered. "Lo heard about my little encounter today, and now that little sheep is trying to _copy_ me; it's sad, really."

Lo was boiling. "Oh, yeah, Stanhope?" she snapped. "Well, _unlike_ you, I have _proof!_ I stepped on its foot, just then, and some of its gunk stuck to my sandal!" She lifted up her left foot. "What do you call _this?_"

Fin arched an eyebrow. "Used chewing-gum?"

Lo's eyes went wide. "_What?_" Looking down, she saw that the green gunk was completely _gone_ – having evaporated, or something – leaving a used gum-wad in its place. "But…but it was _there!_"

Cecilia shook her head. "Making up stories just 'cause I'm dating the guy you like, Ridgemount? _Pathetic._"

'_Okay, is EVERYONE on my case about this?_' Lo silently fumed. "_God!_ How many times do I have to freaking _say_ it? _I! Don't! Like! Ben!_"

Cecilia smirked. "Well, too bad for you, then!" she sneered. "At first, I was just dating him because it bothered you, but now, after his performance tonight, I think I can somehow see past that ugly jacket…as long as he kisses up to me for ditching me…"

"Oh, really?"

Cecilia's smirk collapsed as she turned to find Ben standing there, his arms folded crossly, his eyes narrowed. "Nice to know how you _really_ feel."

Lo chuckled to herself. '_Busted!_'

Cecilia giggled nervously, back-pedalling. "Oh, uh…B-Ben, this isn't what it looks like…"

Ben's tone was flat. "Neither are you, obviously."

Cecilia's lower lip quivered. "Ben…"

"_Save_ it," Ben snapped. "You know, Lo actually tried to warn me about you; I should have listened."

Cecilia's eyes narrowed. "What does _that_ mean?"

Ben snorted. "It means this date is _over,_" he said, walking past her. "Consider yourself _dumped._"

Cecilia went _red._ "_WHAT?_" she screeched. "You…you can't just blow me off! Do you know who I _am?_ _Nobody_ dumps me!"

"That's funny," Ben shot back, "because I think I just _did._" With that, he kept walking.

Cecilia was _livid._ "_BEN!_ Get _BACK_ here!" she snapped, but Ben completely ignored her, walking out of the theatre.

Emma looked stricken. "I guess movie-night's over," she said sadly.

"Guess so, bra," Broseph agreed.

Lo's surge of triumph at seeing Cecilia get _fried_ promptly fizzled out, turning to guilt as she and her friends followed Ben out of the theatre, finding him standing on the sidewalk. "You okay?" Fin asked.

Ben sighed. "Been better," he muttered. "How long until the next bus?"

"The Kahuna makes runs after every movie, so he should be along in a few," Reef said. "Bro, are you sure you're…"

"I'm fine," Ben said quickly, turning away, his voice going soft. "This isn't the first time."

At the tone of his voice, Lo could only frown sadly, deepening as she saw him idly fingering a silver-coloured pendant around his neck. Part of her had wanted to tell him "I told you so," but now…she just didn't want to.

Not after this.

XXXXXXXX

_Surfer's Paradise_

The bus-ride back to the hotel took only a few minutes, but as far as Ben knew, it could have taken a thousand years, he was so lost in his own thoughts; thankfully, the others took the hint, and gave him his space.

He'd been so _stupid_; even Lo had known Cecilia was bad news, and he'd ignored the warning. It had been sheer dumb luck he'd overheard her little confession; if he hadn't, he could've been _stuck_ with her for the summer, or even _longer._ '_That's it, I am OUT of the dating game. Getting dumped once was MORE than enough._'

By then, the bus had pulled up to the hotel, allowing them all to disembark. Ben let all the others get off first, before hopping off the bus, trudging his way back to the staff-house; right now, he just wanted to go to bed and _forget_ this day ever happened…

"What did you mean?"

Pausing, Ben turned around…and groaned. "Come to say, "I told you so?""

Lo frowned, her hands on her hips. "I _could_, but I won't," she answered.

Ben sighed, absently fingering his pendant. "Appreciate it," he said. "If you'll excuse me…"

"You didn't answer my question," Lo pressed. "If this wasn't the first time, what was?"

Ben's eyes scrunched tight. "I don't want to talk about it."

"Does it have anything to do with that pendant?"

Ben let go of the pendant, but not quick enough to fool Lo. "You've been tugging on it all the way back here," she continued. "What is it?"

Ben slumped in resignation. "It was something I gave to…to Julie."

Lo arched an eyebrow. "And Julie would be…"

"My _ex,_" Ben forced out. "Julia Yamamoto; we started dating just last year."

Lo looked surprised. "You two were…serious?"

'_Serious enough for me to tell her about the Omnitrix after our disaster of a first date,_' Ben wanted to say. "Yeah, pretty serious."

Lo's eyebrows dipped in saddened anxiety. "What…happened?"

'_My life happened,_' Ben thought, as his mind flew back to that moment; it was hard to believe it was less than a month…since it felt like a lifetime ago…

XXXXXXXX

_Bellwood, June 19, 2010_

_After getting Julie's text-message, Ben quickly made his way to her house…and froze as he saw the moving-trucks parked outside, as the movers loaded her family's furniture into the trucks. 'What the…'_

"_Ben?"_

_Turning, Ben managed a nervous smile as he saw 16-year-old Julia "Julie" Yamamoto, in her usual pink sweater and white miniskirt, holding the green-black, liquid-metal Galvanic symbiote she'd adopted as her pet from their first date, her dark eyes misty with sadness. "Hey, Julie," he greeted. "Hey, Ship."_

"_Ship! Ship!"_

_Softly giggling at her pet's antics, Julie's sad expression came back. "Thanks for coming, Ben."_

"_Anytime," Ben murmured, "but…what's going on?"_

_Julie's head drooped. "I'm moving, Ben."_

_Ben jerked as if he'd been hit. "W-What?"_

"_My parents are moving," Julie whimpered, a tear falling from her eye. "My Dad accepted a promotion in his company's branch in Japan, and my Mom always wanted to be closer to her folks…"_

_Ben fought to catch his breath. "O-Oh," he stammered, forcing a smile. "O-Okay, then; I guess we'll just…have to get used to a long-distance relationship!"_

_Julie sniffled. "Ben…"_

"_No, Julie, it'll work! With Jetray, I can be in Japan in about a minute flat! We can make it work…"_

"_No, Ben," Julie murmured. "We can't."_

_Ben's knees almost buckled at that declaration. "B-But…Julie, look at what we __**did**__, this year! We faced down an alien invasion; heck, we saved the __**world!**__ We can find a way to…"_

"_That's just __**it**__, Ben!" Julie cried. "We __**did!**__ We did something that…that __**no**__ kid should __**ever**__ have to do! We should be…hanging out at the mall, cramming for exams, playing tennis or soccer, or getting ready for prom…not fighting alien invaders!"_

_Ben's expression was forlorn. "I…I can do both…"_

_Tears fell from Julie's eyes. "I __**can't,**__" she whimpered, "so…so we…" she sniffled, "…we shouldn't see each other, anymore…"_

_Ben was ready to fall over. "J-Julie…" he choked out._

_Julie looked just as miserable as he was. "Oh, God, Ben, I didn't want it to be this way!" she cried. "It's just…you're so much BIGGER than I am! I wanted to live in your life – I really, really did – but…but I can't!" Her sobs began anew. "I know it's stupid, but…I have this picture of what I wanted my life to be: university, a career, kids, grandkids, and when I'm with you, the picture just gets so much __**bigger**__, it's so hard to see the little one I want…"_

_Ben quickly embraced her, letting her cry. "You don't have to explain, Julie; you want a __**normal**__ life. There's nothing wrong with that," he whispered, feeling his own tears flow down his face. "And normal is the one thing I'm __**not**__, isn't it?"_

_Julie smiled weakly as she moved back. "You're a __**hero,**__ Ben," she corrected. "Don't ever doubt that, okay?" Sniffling, she reached up around her throat, and removed a silver pendant – the Japanese kanji symbol for "Together Forever." "Here."_

_Grimacing, Ben shook his head. "No, Julie; that's yours. I'm not asking for it back…"_

"_You're right; I'm __**giving**__ it to you," Julie insisted, pressing it into his hand, "because I want you to promise me something."_

_Ben scrunched his eyes shut. "Anything."_

_Julie's smile was sad and hopeful at the same time. "Promise me you'll find someone."_

'_Yeah, like there's __**another**__ girl out there willing to date a shape-shifting freak of nature,' Ben thought bitterly. "I'll see what I can do."_

_Julie frowned. "__**Promise**__ me, Ben!"_

_Ben sighed. "I promise."_

"_Julia!"_

_As her mother called, Julie turned back to Ben, for the last time. "G-Good-bye, Ben," she sniffled._

_Ben managed a weak smile. "Good-bye, Julie," he murmured. Sniffling, Julie quickly hid Ship in her backpack, before walking over to her family's car. Minutes later, the Yamamotos pulled out of their driveway, the moving trucks following after them; as the car pulled away, a tearful Julie looked out the back window, waving good-bye, while Ben just stood there, numb with shock, her last words echoing in his head._

"…_Ben…Ben…"_

XXXXXXXX

"_Ben!_"

Startled out of his memories, Ben looked back to Lo. "W-What?"

Lo's expression was mildly annoyed. "I _asked_ you what happened with this "Julie," and you just spaced out!"

Ben smiled nervously, feeling his face start to burn. "Oh. Sorry." He thought fast. "She…moved away, and we…didn't think we could make a long-distance relationship work."

Lo arched an eyebrow. "Okay," she began. "That is sad, but it happens; shouldn't you be over it, by now?"

Ben frowned. "It's not that simple…"

"Why not?" Lo asked. "Guys at my school get dumped a lot – believe me, I've _done_ a good bit of the dumping – and they bounce back!" She sighed. "And if this Julie chick was willing to date you for so long, you clearly aren't _completely_ repulsive!"

Ben rolled his eyes. "Wow, you really _are_ a sweet-talker; no _wonder_ the guys can't stay away from you."

"Uh, hello? Trying to help you, here!" Lo snapped. Sighing, she added, "So maybe going out Cecilia _wasn't_ a completely bad idea – there _are_ other girls out there." She frowned. "You just need to work on your taste."

Ben snorted. "Well, I know that _now,_" he muttered. "What's her damage?"

"Have you _got_ all night?"

Ben chuckled. "Probably not," he said. "Well, I'm just gonna head back to the staff-house."

"Cool," Lo answered, shrugging. "I'm gonna grab a snack from the DR."

Ben nodded, turning to go…before he looked back over his shoulder. "Lo?" he asked. "Thanks."

Glancing back, Lo smiled back…before she shook her head. "Whatever." With that, she walked off.

Alone again, Ben continued on his way, but his steps were lighter, with a smile on his face. '_Guess she's not such a pain, after all,_' he thought, walking up to the staff-house.

Maybe he wouldn't quit the dating-game, just yet.

XXXXXXXX

_July 11_

"Ridgemount! Table 14 is waiting on their order! _Get moving!_"

Sighing as Kelly's bark filled her ears, Lo gathered her trays into her hands, before walking out into the DR…only to nearly get bowled over by the out-of-control Marvin twins as they rampaged through the room. Fortunately, the twins' obvious ADHD won out, as they lost interest and scampered out, nearly knocking Emma over as she headed back to the kitchen. "_Ugh!_" Emma cried. "What is _with_ those kids?"

"I know, right?" Lo agreed, depositing Table 14's order at its destination. "Where are their parents during all this?"

"Out on the beach, working on their tan."

Turning to see Ben walking in from the kitchen's back door, Lo noticed his grimace matched hers. "Now I'm glad I _didn't_ take my room-service cart in the main entrance," he whispered. "How much soda do the Marvins _give_ those kids?"

"Too much, apparently!" Lo answered.

"_HEEEEEEELLLP!_"

Hearing that helpless wail, the three of them hightailed out of the DR, stopping just outside the main walkway, where they saw the twins driving a highjacked golf-cart…with a hapless Wipeout being dragged along behind it. "Oh, come _on!_" Emma cried. "That's just going too far! Somebody should _do_ something!"

"Totally!" Lo agreed, glancing to her side to see Ben's expression…only to find empty space. "Huh?" Lo looked around. "Hey, Emma, where'd Tennyson go?"

Emma blinked. "I dunno; he was here a second ago…"

"_Halt!_"

Glancing back towards the rampaging twins, Lo's eyes went wide as she saw the crab-creature standing directly in the golf-cart's path. As the twins saw him, they hit the brakes. "Hey, Professor Crab-Cakes is back!" With that, they sprinted towards him, eager to make him their next victim.

The crab-creature, however, had _other_ ideas; the second they were in range, his pincers snapped out, grabbing both boys by the necks and lifting them off the ground. "Hey, put us down, Super-Crab!" one whined.

"We'll tell our parents on you, Crabby!" the other wailed.

"For once in your miserable lives, _be SILENT!_" the crab exploded. His white eyes bored into the twins', as they froze. "I certainly hope you wretched brats are listening, for I shall say this but once," he snapped. "First of all, my _name_, you diminutive hooligans, is not "Professor Crab-Cakes"; it is not "Super-Crab," nor is it "Crabby." My _name_, you misbegotten malcontents, is _BRAINSTORM!_"

And at that, his cranial shell popped open, revealing a massive brain, sparking with electricity, startling the two boys – and Emma and Lo along with them – before snapping shut. Emma spoke first. "Did…did he just…_open his head?_"

Lo's lower jaw quivered. "I…I think so…"

The crab – "Brainstorm" – continued on, as if nothing had happened. "And _second_, you misbehaved miscreants, you need not tell your parents anything…for I shall do so _myself!_ Where are they?"

Utterly shaken up, one twin pointed towards the door. "T-They're at the b-beach!"

"Then to the beach we shall go!" With that, Brainstorm scuttled off, his pincers still around the boys' throats.

As the crab scurried off, Lo and Emma walked onto the main lobby, where Wipeout was untangling himself from the golf-cart. "Okay, what _was_ that?" Emma cried.

Lo was just as freaked as Emma was. "I…I don't think that was a costume…"

After returning from his break, Johnny spotted Wipeout's predicament, and walked over to help him get loose. "Another run-in with the Marvins, dude?"

Wipeout nodded. "Yeah, man, but you should've _seen_ that crab-guy, bro! He totally told 'em off!" he exclaimed. "He grabbed 'em by the necks and dragged 'em outside to yell at their parents, too!"

Johnny sighed. "Aw, man…_I_ wanted to do that," he groaned. "I was looking forward to it, too…"

Despite having been dragged around by a golf-cart, Wipeout was surprisingly chipper. "Come on, guys! We _gotta_ see this!" With that, he waddled off, as Lo, Emma, and Johnny followed.

By the time they caught up to Brainstorm, the crab had just scuttled up to the Marvins, the twins still in his pincers. "Excuse me," he snapped, "but are these yours?"

Sitting up from her sunbathing, Mrs. Marvin's eyes went wide. "Excuse me, but just what do you think you're…"

Brainstorm didn't let her finish, flicking his pincers to deposit both boys on the sand, falling flat on their rears. "In case you two were completely blind, deaf, and/or incurably _moronic_, your two little _hooligans_ have been running amok throughout this establishment from dawn until dusk!"

Mr. Marvin frowned. "Buster, I think you're overreacting; boys will be…"

"Spare me your words, _sir!_" Brainstorm snapped. "I am uninterested in your excuses – pathetic as they are – nor do I wish to question your parenting aptitude – which is undoubtedly positively _wretched!_ I only wish to point out what _should_ be utterly _obvious_: the staff employed here are _not_ babysitters; it is _not_ their job to look after your children!"

His eyes narrowed. "So if you are either unwilling or unable to control the behaviour of your two misbegotten _monsters,_" he spat, pointing towards the parking-lot, "then I suggest that the four of you _vacate the premises, POST HASTE!_"

Utterly irate, Mrs. Marvin rose to her feet. "Well…well I _never!_" she shouted. "Mark! Todd! Head back to our room! We're _leaving!_"

Mr. Marvin nodded. "And you can be _sure_ we'll be telling everyone about how _horribly_ we were treated here!"

Brainstorm simply folded his claws. "To be damned by the devil, sir, is to be truly blessed. _Good day._" With an irate huff, the Marvins stormed off.

As soon as the Marvins were out of earshot, Lo and Emma let out a cheer. "_Finally!_" Emma exclaimed. "I thought we'd _never_ be rid of those little creeps!"

Scuttling back over, Brainstorm chuckled. "Well, I gather you all observed that little spectacle."

Johnny grinned. "Yeah, we're not exactly sorry to see them go."

"Indeed," Brainstorm said, "though I gather your employer may not agree."

Wipeout wilted. "Oh, man…I am so fired…"

"I would not worry," Brainstorm remarked. "If Mr. Baumer inquires, merely inform him that it was I who offended the Marvins, and you held me back; I will not contest it."

Wipeout perked up. "R-Really?" he exclaimed. "Whoa, thanks, dude!"

"You need not mention it," Brainstorm answered. "Now, if you'll excuse me." With that, he waded into the water, swimming out into the deep…

…and vanished under the surface.

The four of them could only blink in wonder at what had just transpired. Johnny spoke first. "Okay…who _was_ that weird crab?"

Wipeout sniffled. "That," he murmured, "was the _greatest_ mascot that ever lived!"

Johnny arched an eyebrow. "_Riiiiiiiight,_" he said. "In any case, I guess I'd better go handle the Marvins' check-out…and explain to Bummer what happened."

As Johnny and Wipeout headed off, Lo and Emma could only stare out at the water. "Call me crazy," Emma murmured, "but I'm starting to think that guy _wasn't_ wearing a costume!"

Stricken, Lo nodded. "Okay, that's like _six_ monsters seen around here!" she cried. "What is going _on?_"

"I know!" Emma agreed. "It's like Sunset Beach is turning into Monster Central!"

"Aw, not you, too, Alberta!"

Turning, the two of them spotted Fin as she was walking up out of the surf, her board under her arm. "Seriously, is crazy contagious around here? Should I get a vaccine or something?"

Lo frowned. "Fin, I _saw_ a monster yesterday, and we _both_ saw one, just now!" she exclaimed, pointing out to sea. "Emma and I saw that crab-thing just walk into the water, and he never came up!"

Emma nodded. "It's true, Fin! Lo, Ben, and I were watching the Marvin kids torture Wipeout, and then the crab-guy shows up, grabs him, and pops his skull open! I actually saw lightning shoot out!"

Fin arched an eyebrow. "Lightning shot out of the guy's skull." Her tone was flat. "Emma, would you please call my cell-phone and leave that _exact_ message so that I can _play that back for you?_"

Lo sighed to herself. It was no use trying to convince her; time for a subject-change. Spotting Reef out on the water, she smiled slyly. "So, I take it you and Romeo patched things up?"

Fin snorted. "If by that, you mean he apologized, then yes," she muttered, "and them he asks about TV-lines! _Ugh!_"

Lo and Emma exchanged knowing smiles. "So I take it the honeymoon's off?" Lo teased.

Fin glared at her. "Don't even _go_ there, Ridgemount." With that, she headed off.

Alone again, Emma sighed. "So much for convincing Captain Sceptical," she lamented. "Wish we'd had another witness."

"I know!" Lo exclaimed. "Where the heck is Tennyson when you _need_ him?"

"My ears are burning."

Turning, Lo's eyes narrowed angrily as Ben walked over. "Okay, where _were_ you?"

Ben blinked. "Bathroom break," he said quickly. "When I came back, you two were gone, and I needed to check with you on when the room-service order could get filled, so…"

"And you couldn't have _waited_ several minutes to do that?" Lo snapped. "We could have _used_ an extra eyewitness, here!"

Emma's hand was on her shoulder. "Lo, Ben didn't know," she said. To Ben, she added, "We'll be by to fill that order soon, okay?" Nodding, Ben turned and headed back to the hotel.

Lo's eyes narrowed. "And what was _that?_"

"It wasn't Ben's fault, Lo; how could he have known we were about to witness a sea-monster tearing the Marvins a new one?" Her smile came back. "Unless you were just looking for an excuse to rant at him because you so _obviously_ like him…"

"_Don't_ start!" Lo shouted, turning away and walking back towards the hotel. "I am getting _sick_ of repeating myself here! I _don't!_ _Like! Ben! Period!_"

And she _meant_ it; granted, she might have been harsh on him after their first meeting…

…and he _kinda_ was a pretty nice guy, especially after talking to him, last night…

…but that _didn't_ mean she liked him.

And that was all there was to it.

XXXXXXXX

_**Omnitrix Database**_

_**File-name:**__ Brainstorm_

_**Species-name:**__ Cerebrocrustacean_

_**Home planet:**__ Encephalonus IV_

_**Abilities:**__ Subject possesses high-level intellect, in excess of upper-genius level. Highly developed cerebral cortex allows for telepathic projection of subject's thoughts, as well as high-level psychokinetic abilities; upper limits of subject's telekinesis remains undetermined. Subject's carapace is highly resistant to most known projectile weapons. Use of abilities produces excess bioelectricity in cerebral cortex, forcing subject to discharge excess bioelectrical energy, either through retractable "flaps" in skull, or through pincers._

_**Description:**__ The sole sentient species of the Encephalonus system, the Cerebrocrustacean species began life much as any early ocean-dweller: as a bottom-forager. As food became scarce, these early crustaceans began to devise more creative ways of catching food, gradually developing larger and larger brains, until theirs had evolved to the point where psychokinesis emerged. With this development also came the advent of telepathy…and telepathic communication. After communing with its fellows for the first time in their recorded history, the Cerebrocrustacean quickly developed one of the first marine-based civilizations in known space._

_Many millennia later, Cerebrocrustaceans are widely respected as some of the finest philosophers, theorists, researchers, and physicians in the known universe. In addition, their telekinetic abilities have made them famous in laboratories where accuracy and precision are critical. Despite their accomplishments, there is a sore point of contention between the Cerebrocrustaceans and the Galvans, as both societies claim to be the most intelligent in the known universe, with the Cerebrocrustaceans belittling the Galvans' fixation on mechanical systems, and the Galvans scoffing at the Cerebrocrustceans' lack of manual dexterity and reliance on their psychokinesis._

_**File-name:**__ Goop_

_**Species-name:**__ Polymorph_

_**Home planet:**__ Viscosia_

_**Abilities:**__ Subject is composed of high-elasticity multicellular protoplasm, capable of stretching and compressing to fit through any gap or fill any space. Subject is capable of limited motion unassisted; telepathic link to external gravity-generator allows for higher degree of movement. On-board translator module interprets inter-cellular electrical activity as speech. Subject's protoplasm can vary in pH, ranging from neutral to highly acidic, allowing for digestion of prey._

_**Description:**__ Once considered a primordial planet, Viscosia remained largely unsettled for much of known history, with sporadic scientific expeditions revealing nothing upon the planet's surface save one massive supercolony of protoplasmic eukaryotes, covering much of the planet's ocean, feeding off of the plankton dwelling beneath the surface. During a Galvan expedition, however, the leader noted, with great surprise, that upon close examination of the supercolony, a smaller colony had broken off and approached him…where it quickly matched its shape to his._

_After further study, it was determined that the supercolony was in fact a semisentient collective of many smaller sentient colonies, each emitting its own neuroelectric field. Further co-operative research led to the development of the translator module, and later, the gravity generator, allowing the colonies – self-named "Polymorphs" – to freely speak and move about. Today, Polymorphs are fully functioning members of the galactic community, and are well-known in the fields of espionage, photo-journalism, and detective-work._


	5. Kickin' It Old School

CHAPTER FIVE: KICKIN' IT OLD-SCHOOL

_Surfer's Paradise Resort, July 12, 2009_

The morning sun was beginning its climb over Sunset Beach as the old, rust-laden camper putted into the parking lot, pulling up alongside a blue-grey car, just as its driver, a middle-aged, balding man, clad in khaki shorts, a faded, red-yellow, Hawaiian-print shirt, and glasses hooked over his ears, just under the remnants of his light brown hair, was stepping out. Casting a sour gaze towards the camper, the driver opened the trunk of the car, fishing out his luggage.

Had he lingered a moment longer, he might have seen a tall, dark grey-violet-skinned creature, seemingly made entirely of rock, its back and forearms studded with neon-pink crystals, including a single, crystalline horn right above its single, pink eye, and a green-black hourglass crest upon its chest, emerge from the nearby woods. Its featureless face cringing worriedly, the rock-monster sprinted across the lawn, making a beeline for the staff house, keeping out of sight of the car-driver…but not the camper-driver.

Finally gathering his luggage, the car-driver started to head towards the hotel, causing the rock-monster to freeze; there was no way he could get out of there without being seen…

Crossing the lawn, the car-driver suddenly stopped in his tracks, staring at the tall, dark purple-pink stone statue standing in the middle of the lawn. "What on Earth?"

"I see you've noticed the local artwork."

Not bothering to turn towards the camper-driver, the other guest nodded. "Not so sure I'd call it art," he muttered. "More like an _eyesore._"

The camper-driver chuckled. "To each his own!" Sighing, the first arrival headed towards the hotel, leaving the tall, stout-framed, grey-haired, 60-something-year-old man, clad in blue jeans, and a red-white Hawaiian t-shirt, standing on the lawn. Once the coast was clear, he stared at the statue wryly. "A _statue_, Benjamin? Really?"

Relaxing, Chromastone grinned sheepishly. "Hey, it seemed like a good idea at the time," he answered, his voice taking on a tinny, metallic tone.

"I'm sure it was." The older man sighed. "Didn't I ask you to keep your head down for a few months?"

Chromastone grimaced. "Try telling that to a downed power-line, just around the corner; if I hadn't gone Chromastone to suck up the power while I was shutting it down, it could've fried half the early-birds on the beach!"

"I know, I know," the older man relented. "Look, you'd best get going before someone sees you; we'll talk later."

"Right." With that, Chromastone sprinted off, while the older man headed for the hotel.

The instant he walked through the doors, he was greeted by the manager. "Good morning, sir!" the gold-haired, cru-cut youth exclaimed. "Did you have a reservation?"

"More like a standing invitation," the man answered. "Just tell Mr. Ridgemount I'm here; he'll know."

"Of course, sir! Your name?"

The old man grinned. "Max Tennyson."

XXXXXXXX

_The Office_

"Hey, bro! Almost thought you weren't coming!"

Running onto the beach, Ben waved back to answer Broseph's greeting; after his impromptu rescue-op as Chromastone – and subsequent near-miss on the hotel lawn – he'd hurried back to the staff-house to don his swim trunks and grab his board, before racing to the Office for a quick sesh in the few minutes prior to the start of his shift. "Yeah, I got a little sidetracked."

As he and Broseph strode towards the water, Reef shrugged. "Whatever, man; just as long as I've got waves to shred, I'm golden."

Grinning, Broseph high-fived him. "Amen to that, bro…"

"_EL DUDERINO!_"

Turning towards that shout, the three of them saw The Kahuna rushing up to them, looking alarmed. "Hey, El Kahuna!" Reef exclaimed in response. "What's happening?"

"_No_, dude! _El Duderino!_" Kahuna insisted. "It's, like, the biggest, sickest, gnarliest wave that's ever tossed a kook!"

Ben blinked. "Uh…okay…"

Reef chuckled. "_Riiiiiiight…_"

"So how come we've never heard of it, bro?" Broseph asked.

"_Dude!_ It only comes, like, once every _twenty years!_" Kahuna said. "Legend has it that it was first ridden by the Madcap _himself_, the very day he discovered the Office!"

Broseph's eyes went wide. "_Whoa…_you mean Madcap Max, dude? Seriously?"

Ben was completely lost. "Who's he?"

Reef stared at him like he'd grown two heads. "Who's Madcap Max?" he repeated. "He's _only_ one of the greatest surfers of all time, as well as the guy who first _discovered_ the Office!"

Broseph nodded. "As the legend goes, bro, it was here that the Madcap perfected his signature trick, one which _no_ other surfer has ever learned to do: the Zero-G."

Ben's eyes went wide. "Wow…" he murmured. "And he rode this…El Duderino?"

The Kahuna nodded. "Twenty years later, another guy rode El Duderino," he said, taking out an old surf magazine, "and he got on the cover of _every_ surf-mag in circulation! Trust me, dudes: El Duderino is a _big_ deal!"

Reef's eyes were wide. "_Dude!_ We have _GOT_ to ride that wave!"

Ben could only nod in awed agreement. "When's it supposed to get here?"

"No way to tell with El Duderino, bro."

"Sounds like we're gonna have to take shifts," Reef said. "Okay, the three of us will take our breaks one right after the other: when the waves start getting high, the dude on watch will let the other two know so they can sneak off!"

Broseph nodded. "And no hogging the wave, bros; _not_ cool."

"Okay," Ben said, "but we only get one break every three hours; even if we space 'em out, that's a lot of uncovered time. Maybe we should ask the girls for…"

Reef's eyes narrowed. "There is no _way_ I am sharing a legendary wave with some break-hogging betty!" he declared. With that, he marched into the water.

Broseph chuckled. "Dude's in denial."

"Oh, he passed denial _long_ ago, man," Ben agreed with a grin. "He's moved onto stage two: anger. Next come depression, bargaining, and finally acceptance."

"Cool." Broseph said, as he, too, headed out to catch the breaking waves. Readying his board, Ben promptly did the same.

XXXXXXXX

_Surfer's Paradise Resort_

_Ugh!_ I _HATE_ this job!"

Stashing their regular clothes in their lockers in the locker-room, Emma and Fin, both in uniform, turned towards Lo…and did a double-take. "_Whoa!_" Emma cried. "Lo, what _happened?_"

Still in her sundress, Lo frowned miserably as she pointed to the horrific mess of tangles that her hair had turned into. "The Staff House, that's what!" she wailed. "The humidity is _ruining_ my hair!"

Fin chuckled. "Huh; and here I thought the Bride of Frankenstein look was back in style."

"_FIN!_"

Emma suppressed a guilty giggle. "Fin's just kidding, Lo; it's not _that_ bad…"

"Yes, it _is!_" Lo cried. "I'll _never_ be able to fix it, at this rate!"

Fin shrugged. "Hey, there's always _my_ solution," she suggested, shaking her borderline-boy-cut hair for emphasis. "I never have to worry about first-day frizz."

Lo stared at her as if she'd suggested that she should cut off her arm. "Bite your _tongue!_"

"Hey, I'm just saying."

By then, Ben, Reef, and Broseph had walked in, still soaked from their surf-sesh. Spotting Lo's hair-misfire, Reef chuckled. "Let me guess: shampoo-related accident?"

As Ben stifled a chuckle, Lo rounded on him. "And what are _you_ laughing at?"

"Hey, I did _not_ say _anything!_" Ben protested. "Reef's the one who made the joke! Why pick on me?"

Lo just crossed her arms, looking away with a "_Hmph!_"

Noticing the water they were dripping, Fin arched an eyebrow. "Cutting things awfully close, aren't we?"

"No choice, bra," Broseph answered. "Had to keep an eye out for…"

Reef's elbow to his side shut him up. "…for the perfect wave!" he finished, grinning nervously. "Best way to start the day!"

Fin's eyes narrowed suspiciously. "Uh-huh."

"_Slackers!_"

At the sound of Bummer's voice, the six of them froze as the hotel manager strode in. "I have just heard from a very reliable source that the famous hotel-critic Stanley Stevens is coming to Surfer's Paradise!" he barked. "That means, until further notice, all of you are on _V.V.V.V.V.V.V.V.I.P._-Mode! Mr. Stevens will be offered the best suite, given the best service, shown the best spots on the resort…all-in-all, _nothing_ but the _BEST!_ Is that _clear?_"

Ben blinked. "Uh…sir?" he asked. "Not to underscore the importance of this guy, but we _do_ have to service _all_ the guests…"

"Oh, I'm sorry; I haven't been _clear!_" Bummer sneered. "Mr. Stevens' review can – and _will_ – either make or break this hotel! A 0 out of 10 will all but _ruin_ Surfer's Paradise…but a 9, or – dare I even think it – 10 out of 10 will put this hotel on the map…and put me in line for a _promotion! WOOHOOOO!_"

Bummer's ensuing impromptu victory-dance caused the six of them to cringe. "Dude…there oughtta be a _law,_" Broseph whimpered.

As he quickly recomposed himself, Bummer's scowl returned. "As I just said, I expect you all to make _certain_ Mr. Stevens' visit is nothing less than _perfect,_" he warned, "because if his review suggests otherwise, I'll be finding a _new_ summer staff! _Dismissed!_"

With that, Bummer strode off, leaving the six of them behind. "Dude, this _bites!_" Broseph groaned. "Now how are we supposed to watch out for…"

Reef elbowed him. "_Dude! Ixnay on the Uderino-Day!_" he whispered.

Emma looked stricken. "Guys, this is serious! We could lose our _jobs!_"

Ben gulped. "Or worse; Bummer could _dance_, again."

Fin cringed. "I hear that, States," she agreed. "So what, we just ignore the other guests?"

"Works for me!" Reef declared. "The less work I do, the better!"

Fin rolled her eyes. "Oh, yeah; you're _so_ overworked."

"I know!"

Glancing towards Lo, Emma was surprised to see a smile on her face. "Uh, Lo?" she asked. "You _did_ just hear what Bummer said, right?"

"You mean how a super-important guest is coming and if I make sure his dinner-service is great it'll impress Daddy so he'll let me back in the penthouse?" Lo all but squealed. "_Yes_, Emma, I heard! Freedom, here I come!"

Ben rolled his eyes, suppressing a wry chuckle. "Uh-huh." He moved to his locker. "Guess we'd better get moving."

While the guys gathered their uniforms, Emma, Fin, and Lo headed out, with Lo calling over her shoulder, "You just _watch_ me, Tennyson!"

"Keep dreaming, Princess!"

Fin chuckled. "It's shameless, the way you two flirt."

Lo huffed. "Are you kidding me? You're _still_ going on about this?"

Emma giggled. "You have to admit, Lo; you and Ben don't argue like you did when you first met…"

Lo rolled her eyes. "So I've built up a tolerance to him!" she replied, exasperated. "Big deal!"

"Whatever you say, Ridgemount." Fin's smirk quickly turned to a frown. "But, _man,_ did either of you get an eyeful of that _seriously_ nasty statue on the hotel's front lawn? Talk about an _eyesore!_ I was honestly tempted to gouge my own eyes out!"

Emma blinked. "Fin…I didn't see any statue…"

Lo nodded. "Daddy always keeps the front yard clear," she agreed, before her eyes went wide. "W-What did it look like?"

"Major case of the ughs; purple rock, pink crystals, and one eye. Whoever orders the art around here oughtta get their head examined!"

Emma started to catch onto Lo's train of thought. "You don't think…"

"Not _again_, guys!" Fin complained. "How many times do I have to say it? There are _no such things as monsters!_ Mr. R. probably noticed how utterly unholy that statue looked, and had it taken down!" She sighed. "Look, I've got to go decontaminate the first room; see you at the beach at lunch."

As Fin headed off, Lo and Emma continued on to the DR. "Think that statue _was_ another monster?" Emma asked.

"I don't know," Lo answered. "I just want to impress this Stevens guy, make Daddy proud, and move home before I find out!"

"I don't blame you!" Emma agreed. "That Staff House is _so_ nasty!" With that, the two of them continued on.

With any luck, today would have no distractions…

XXXXXXXX

"Man, Lo sure has it out for you, bro."

As he and Broseph walked out of the service-elevator, heading towards their first room-service call of the day, Ben shrugged. "Hey, I think she's calmed down somewhat, since moving in," he said. "She's not _that_ annoying, anymore."

Broseph chuckled as he pushed the food-cart. "Too bad she didn't get that same memo about you, bro."

"Yeah, well, I think her yelling at me gives her something to obsess over other than how she got booted from her home and cushy lifestyle," Ben answered. "Call me a humanitarian."

Broseph grinned. "You like her."

Ben's eyes bugged out. "Huh? What? No!" he protested.

"Dunno, bro; seemed awful fast to back her up, just then."

Ben rolled his eyes. "What, just because I happen to have some compassion for a girl in that situation, I automatically have to like her?"

"Pretty much."

Ben sighed. "Okay, I'll admit that she's not as annoying as I thought she was, that first day," he said, "as well as the fact that she can actually be kinda nice – in her own way – when she tries, but that's it!"

Broseph arched an eyebrow. "So the fact that she's totally smokin' hot and loaded never came into play, bro?"

Ben groaned. "Don't you have some wave to chase?"

"Natch, dude; plannin' on takin' my break after the next trip."

By then, the two of them had reached the guest's room. Opening the door, Ben waited for Broseph to push the cart in, before following him in. "Room service!"

Hearing no response, Ben looked around…and was amazed at how clean the room was. "Dude, Fin would _faint_ if she saw a room this clean," Broseph murmured. "We do have the right room, right, bro?"

Double-checking the door, Ben nodded. "Room 1216," he confirmed. "I don't know, man; maybe we oughtta check with Johnny, make sure he gave us the right room. It doesn't look like anyone's even staying here…"

"Well, that's a fine way to talk! I come all this way for a visit, and this is the thanks I get?"

The second he heard that familiar voice, Ben grinned, turning to see his grandfather as he walked into view. "_Grandpa!_" he exclaimed, darting over to hug him.

Max Tennyson laughed, returning the hug. "Great to see you, Ben!" he replied. "So, working hard, or hardly working?"

Ben chuckled. "According to Bummer, hardly working!" he quipped. Glancing to Broseph, he added, "Broseph, this is my grandpa; you know, the one I was telling you about?"

Grinning, Broseph extended his hand. "Joseph Silas, man; my pals just call me Broseph."

"Max Tennyson," Max replied, shaking it. A wry grin crossed his face. "So, your boss is "Bummer," is he?"

Ben and Broseph gulped. "Yeah, we'd…prefer if that name didn't get back to him," Ben said.

Broseph shivered. "Dude has a major case of harshness."

Max whistled. "One of _those_, huh?" he asked. "Had quite a few of those in the Air Force, back in the day…including our old CO."

Broseph blinked. "You were in the Air Force, dude?"

Ben grinned. "And then in NASA, afterwards."

Max nodded. "Sunset Beach used to be an old Air Force base on lease to the USAF from Canada, back then; between duty-rosters, us flyboys used to hit the waves," he added. "Just wanted to see if our old surf-hangouts had changed any…" his stomach suddenly grumbled, "…_after_ I grab a late breakfast, of course."

"_Man_, do I hear that," Broseph agreed. "I could _use_ some grindage."

Max's grin widened. "Well, in that case, point me towards the kitchen! I'll mix up some of my famous Homemade Chili!"

Images of the Rustbucket's windows being blown out by a kitchen-made explosion flashed back through Ben's mind. "Uh…t-that's okay, Grandpa; we wouldn't want to trouble you…"

"_TENNYSON! Over here, now!_"

As Bummer's familiar holler echoed down the hallways, Ben and Broseph both cringed. "Like I said," Broseph murmured. "_Major_ harshage."

Ben gulped. "Wish me luck." With that, he headed around the corner, coming face-to-face with an irate Bummer. "You…wanted to see me, sir?"

The ticking of Bummer's eyebrow sent chills down Ben's spine. "What exactly do you think you're doing?"

"Uh…my job, sir?"

"Don't be flip, buster!" Bummer snapped. "Did I not _explicitly_ say that Mr. Stevens was to be given the _best_ treatment?"

Ben paled. "He's _here_, sir?"

"He just checked in…so _why_ is there nobody to take his bags?"

Ben quickly did an about-face. "I'm on it, sir!" With that, he sprinted down to the lobby.

After finding Mr. Stevens – a tall, lanky gentleman with dark hair and a dark moustache, clad in dark slacks and a wine-coloured shirt – and taking his luggage up to the suite Bummer had set aside for him, a tired Ben headed back to the elevator. As the doors opened, he found Broseph on his way back down. "Rough trip, bro?"

"Just two suitcases, but Bummer had me sprinting all the way back down," Ben answered. "Where's Grandpa?"

"Said he was headed to the DR, man; he was gonna fix up his Chili."

Ben's eyebrows shot up past his hairline. "Oh, _no…_"

"What's the big deal, bro?" Broseph asked. "I could go for a bowl of chili!"

"You don't understand!" Ben cried. "The _last_ time Grandpa Max made chili, he blew out the windows of his trailer!"

Now Broseph's eyes were wide. "_Whoa…_"

"Exactly! We have to stop him!" With that, Ben zipped into the elevator, rapidly tapping the button for the main floor, hoping there was still time…

XXXXXXXX

_A few minutes earlier_

"Miss? Excuse me, Miss?"

Hearing the balding guy in the red-yellow shirt whine for the umpteenth time, Lo sighed, rolling her eyes. "Coming!" she said, gathering up the leftover trays and walking back into the kitchen, where Emma was gathering her next orders. "Okay, _when_ is this Stevens guy supposed to get here?" Lo complained. "Because if I have to listen to much more of this, I can't guarantee I'll be mellow!"

Emma laughed. "Don't let Bummer hear you say that!" she teased. "He'll probably blow a gasket!"

Lo sighed. "Daddy had _better_ appreciate this…"

"Excuse me, ladies?"

Turning towards the door, Lo and Emma were surprised to see an older guest, in jeans and a red-white Hawaiian shirt, poke his head through the door. Stricken, Emma moved towards him. "Uh, sir? Customers aren't really allowed back here…"

The older guy grinned. "More of Ben's coworkers, right?" He extended his hand. "Max Tennyson."

For a moment, Emma was confused as she shook his hand, until she recognized the name. "_Oh!_ Are you Ben's grandfather?"

Max nodded, before his gaze settled on Lo. "You're Jim's daughter, Lauren, aren't you?" he asked. "I should have guessed – you have your mother's eyes!"

Lo arched an eyebrow. "Okay…"

"I hope you two don't mind, but I was hoping I could just hop in and whip up a batch of my Tex-Mex Chili!" Max continued. "I think I finally got the recipe just right; even brought extra chili-powder, plus a couple habaneros…"

Emma's eyes went wide. "_Wow._ That'll give it a kick!"

"And _then_ some!" Max agreed. "With any luck, I'll be able to send some along to Jim's mother! She's always been a fan of it; every time I get a letter from her, she's inquired about the recipe, when she's not gushing about her little Lo-Ber…"

Her eyes flaring wide, Lo quickly cut him off. "Okay, buster; you heard Emma! No customers allowed back here! _Scoot!_" With that, she shooed him out of the kitchen. '_Ugh! Does EVERY Tennyson guy have this irrational need to drive me crazy?_'

"_Lo!_" Emma scolded. "What gives? Mr. Tennyson was just trying to be nice!"

"Almost spilling my Nana's nickname for me does _not_ count as nice, Emma!"

Emma started to smile. "_What_ nickname?"

Lo wanted to smack herself. "I…I have to get back to work!" she exclaimed, grabbing her notepad and zipping out the door. '_Oh, God, did that EVER feel wrong to say…_'

Coming to her first table, Lo took a deep breath. "Welcome to Surfer's Paradise!" she chirped, putting on the most realistic fake-smile she had. "Can I take your order?"

The one person at the table lowered her menu. "_Lo?_"

Recognizing her BFF instantly, Lo's smile turned genuine. "_Heidi!_" she squealed. "W-What are you doing here?"

In her usual blue miniskirt, white tank-top, and pink jacket, her shades pushed up to the rim of her mid-length, light-red hair, 15-year-old Heidi Laramie smiled back. "I'm on break from cheer-camp, so I thought I'd drop by!" she answered. Her expression turned forlorn. "I heard how Cecilia was spreading a rumour that your dad was making you work…"

Her comment brought back memories of the day Lo's life had officially _ended._ "It's…it's _not_ a rumour, Heidi," she sniffled. "Daddy _freaked_ after I threw that year-end party!"

Heidi gasped. "_No!_"

"_Yes!_" Lo wailed. "And now I have to spend the rest of the summer…c-cleaning dishes, taking orders, and wearing this heinous-to-the-maximus dress!" Her eyes started to tear up. "_H-Help me!_"

Almost in tears herself, her BFF instantly stood to enfold her in a hug. "Oh, you poor thing!" she commiserated. "That's it, I am taking you to the spa, right _now!_" She smiled sheepishly. "You've still got your credit-card, right?"

"I…I can't," Lo whimpered. "I…I have to work…"

Heidi went pale. "Lo, did you just _hear_ yourself? They've brainwashed you, already! I _told_ you you should've come to cheer-camp with me!"

Lo managed to stifle her tears. "Yes, Heidi, I _know_ I should've gone with you and the rest of the squad, but hear me out!" She managed a weak smile. "There's this big hotel inspector coming, today; if I can impress him, it'll make Daddy happy and he might let me out of this awful job!"

Impressed, Heidi nodded. "_There's_ our girl! I knew you had a plan!" she exclaimed. "In that case, go for it! I'll be waiting right here; the second your shift ends, you're coming with me to the spa!"

Lo beamed. "Wouldn't miss it for the world…"

"_Lauren!_"

Hearing that familiar bellow, Lo sighed. "Heidi, hold that thought." Turning, she walked over to her father's table, where he, her Mom, and George were sitting. "Okay, Daddy, I _know_ you're thinking I was chatting with Heidi, but I was just taking her order, like I'm _supposed_ to!"

James' annoyed expression quickly evaporated. "Oh. Well…good." He was about to sit down, but he spotted someone over Lo's shoulder. "Max!" he exclaimed with a grin. "Max, you old space-dog! I _thought_ I saw your trailer, out there!"

Grinning, Max walked over to them. "Have Rustbucket, will travel!" he replied. "How are you doing, Jim? Those three kids of yours still a handful?"

James laughed. "Well, you've seen the news, haven't you?"

Max chuckled, before turning to Lo's Mom. "Gloria, you look stunning, as always!" he greeted, taking her hand and placing a peck on her knuckles.

Gloria giggled. "Max, you old charmer! Shame on you!" she teased. "You know perfectly well I'm married!"

Lo felt like gagging.

Turning towards George, James frowned. "And where exactly are your manners, mister? Say hello to Mr. Tennyson!"

Glancing up from his handheld, George shrugged. "Hey." With that, he went back to his gaming.

Gloria looked embarrassed. "We're so sorry, Max; he's usually more polite…"

"No need to explain, Gloria; when Ben was that age, you'd need a _jackhammer_ to pry his Sumo Slammer game away from him!" Max replied. "And where exactly is Tyler?"

"Knowing him, he's out at that secret surf-spot of his," James answered, "especially given how nice the weather is."

Max nodded. "Smart boy; I was planning on catching a few waves myself, after brunch," he answered. "I was planning on whipping up my Tex-Mex Chili, but I think I gave that little red-haired waitress the fright of her life when I suggested it!"

"Your famous Tex-Mex Meltdown?" James exclaimed. "By all means, go ahead!"

Max grinned, as he opened up his knapsack…and fished out a _welding mask._ "Thanks, Jim!" he said. "Think I finally got the right mix, this time; hang on to your tastebuds!"

As Max headed into the kitchen, Lo could only look on with mild bewilderment, before turning back to her parents, trying to suppress her nausea. "_Oh. My gosh!_" she lamented. "I honestly can't say which of you – him or you guys – are more embarrassing to be seen with!"

Gloria's smile turned wry. "I'd be a little nicer to Mr. Tennyson, honey – if it wasn't for him, your father and I would have never _met!_"

At that notion, Lo felt a mild twinge of guilt pierce her, prompting her to turn away, her arms folded in a huff…but her annoyed expression faded to confusion as a winded Ben sprinted into the DR. "Did…did my Grandpa just come through here?" he asked. "Please, just…_tell_ me you didn't let him into the kitchen!"

James arched an eyebrow. "Well, of course, Benjamin! Who in their right mind would pass up the Tennyson Tex-Mex Meltdown?"

Ben turned as pale as the tablecloth. "Oh, God…oh, God…"

By then, Emma had noticed Ben's expression, and had walked over. "Ben?" she asked. "What's the matter?"

Lo rolled her eyes. "He's just flavoured that his embarrassing relative showed up, that's all…"

Gloria smiled. "Ben, there's nothing to be ashamed about! Your grandfather was just excited about having fixed his recipe!"

Ben gaped. "Fixed it _how?_"

Gloria looked puzzled. "Hmm…actually, he didn't say."

James nodded. "Lauren?"

"Do I _look_ like his secretary, Daddy?" Lo complained. "All I know is that he said something about extra chili-powder and…habby-neros…"

Ben went _dead-_white. "_EXTRA chilli powder?_" he cried. "_HABANEROS?_"

Max's voice interrupted him from the kitchen. "Hot _dog!_ It's gonna be a big one!"

Ben was instantly in panic-mode. "_Everybody DOWN!_" he shouted. "_Everyone hit the dirt! Get under the tables, NOW! NOW!_"

Lo snorted. "Uh, exaggerating much?" she asked. "I don't think…" but her dismissal ended with a shriek, as Ben tackled her to the floor, shielding her with himself.

James' eyes narrowed. "Buster, just what do you think…"

_**BOOOOOOM!**_

The massive explosion rocked the Dining Room, drowning out the rest of the owner's remark with a cloud of black smoke, knocking everyone to the floor and blasting out all the windows, upending tables in its immediate wake. When the smoke began to clear, a bruised Emma sat up. "_Oww…_"

Coughing out a puff of smoke, James helped his wife to her feet. "Well, I can see where the "Meltdown" part comes from."

George's reaction was another story. "That was _awesome!_" he exclaimed, popping up from behind the upended table. "_Do it again, do it again!_"

Groaning, Ben propped himself up on his elbows, while a shell-shocked Lo lay beneath him. "Welcome to my 10-year-old summer vacation," he muttered…before he froze, as he spotted the pair of amethyst gems inches away from his own eyes, their noses almost touching…

Lo managed to find her voice, breaking the spell. "Okay, I'll admit I appreciate the warning," she said, her eyebrows starting to dip in irritation, "but I think you can get _off_ me, now!"

Ben blinked. "Huh?" he replied…before he blushed. "_Oh!_" Grinning sheepishly, he rolled to the side, letting Lo sit up. "Sorry."

As Lo dusted herself off, letting Ben help her up, she saw her father glance to Ben. "My apologies, Benjamin; I suppose we should have listened."

"Don't worry about it, sir; the first time _I_ had Grandpa Max's chili, _I_ never knew what was happening until I was blasted clear out of the Rustbucket."

As if on cue, the kitchen doors opened, and Max, in his cooking apron and welding-mask, walked out of the kitchen, holding a bubbling iron pot. Lifting up the visor, Max's smile dimmed as he saw the damage. "Oh, dear," he murmured. "Sorry about that, Jim; I forgot how big a punch this stuff packs."

James sighed. "That's alright, Max; after Lauren's little escapade, I took out a hefty insurance policy on the hotel," he replied. "I just didn't think I'd _need_ it, so soon."

Ben scratched the back of his head. "So, Grandpa, how'd it turn out?"

Max grinned, fully lifting off the cover. "See for yourself!"

Getting to her feet, Emma walked over, joining Ben and Lo as they looked into the pot…and found a roiling, bubbling, dark-red, meaty mixture inside. "Uh…wow!" Emma said, smiling nervously. "It…it looks tasty!"

Ben and Lo had the same thought at the same time: "It _does?_"

Frowning to himself, Max fished out a spoon, and dipped it into the mix, lifting out a spoonful…which promptly slid off, as the spoon sagged down. "Hmm…better let this stuff cool, a few hours," he mused. "Last time I tried it this hot, it burned right through!"

Emma gulped. "Your mouth?"

"My _bowl._"

Now it was _Lo's_ turn to gulp. '_Okay, it's official: HE'S the bigger embarrassment…_'

"Lo!"

Turning, Lo managed a faint smile as a bewildered Heidi ran over. "You okay, girl?"

Running her hand through her hair, brushing out some of the soot, Lo nodded. "I guess so."

Heidi quickly locked arms with her. "That's it, girl; you are coming with me to the spa, right _now!_"

Lo's expression turned hopeful. "Daddy?"

James sighed. "Well, given that the Dining Room will be closed for the next few hours…I suppose it's alright."

Lo wanted to cheer. "_Thank you, Daddy!_" With that, she and Heidi turned to go.

"Lo?" Emma asked. "I thought we were going to hang with the others and catch some waves…"

Distraught, Lo glanced back towards Emma, an excuse ready on her tongue, but Heidi beat her to it. "Uh, was anyone _talking_ to you, loser?" she snapped. "_No_, so _shut_ it!"

Lo's eyes went wide with surprise at her BFF's remark, while Emma's expression turned hurt, with Ben's eyes narrowing crossly. Then, before she could say anything, Heidi walked out, taking her along for the ride.

XXXXXXXX

"He did _WHAT?_"

As he, Fin, Reef, Emma, and Broseph strolled along the beach, in their surf-wear, boards in hand, Ben sighed. "Yeah, it's true, Fin; my Grandpa's chili pretty much took out the whole DR."

Fin burst out laughing at that. "Oh, man, I would have _killed_ to see that!" she guffawed. "That's just _too_ funny!"

Miraculously, Reef agreed with her. "What I wouldn't _give_ to see Bummer's face!" he chortled. "The guy must've had a _stroke!_"

Ben frowned. "More like a _strike,_" he muttered, "because that's what he gave me, Emma, and Lo."

Emma groaned. "It's so unfair!"

"Bummer, dudes," Broseph agreed. "Sounds like we'd better hit the waves harder than usual."

Ben nodded; with the DR shut down, this little impromptu surf-sesh was _just_ what the doctor ordered. "Sounds like it…"

"Mind if I join you?"

Turning, Ben saw his Grandpa walk up to them, in a pair of red swim-trunks, holding an old-style, plain wooden surfboard. "Figured I'd give Betsy a little workout," he said, gesturing to his board. "The old girl's been in mothballs for the past 20 years."

Emma suppressed a giggle. "_Betsy?_"

"You named your board, dude?" Broseph asked. "_Sweeeet._ Mine goes by Camille."

"_Dude._ Don't encourage him!" Reef whispered. "This is like having to teach that old guy Chester, all over again!"

Seeing the waves rolling in, Max grinned. "Well, time's a-wastin'!" he said. "What are we waiting for?"

Fin chuckled. "Whoa there, old-school; no offence, but I think these waves are a little more than what folks are used to around the old-folks' pool," she said. "Better let me give you a couple pointers first…"

Reef's eyes narrowed. "And just _who_ died and made _you_ surf-instructor, betty?"

Fin glared back. "I'm _looking_ at him, right now..!"

"Ahem."

Max's cough drew their attention back towards him. "Rather than have you two murder each other," he said flatly, "why not settle this like my old Air Force pals did: on the waves!"

Fin calmed. "We're listening."

"It's simple!" Max said. "If one of you does better than the other, the winner shows me the ropes, while the loser treats us all to snacks."

Broseph grinned. "Likin' this idea already, bro."

Max smirked. "_But,_" he finished, "if _I_ do better than either of _you_, the _both_ of you can _split_ the bill."

"Is that _all?_" Reef snorted. "Piece of _cake!_" He turned towards the waves. "Betty, prepared to be _smoked…OW!_"

Reef's remark died with a squawk as Max's hand shot out, grabbing him by the earlobe. "Haven't you got any manners, buster?" he scolded. "Whatever happened to "Ladies first"?"

Fin laughed. "I think Reef missed the call for manners at birth…along with the call for _brains!_" With that, she raced out into the surf, paddling into the approaching wave, before popping up onto her board. As the wave began to crest, Fin glided up almost to the whitecap, riding it like a skateboarder would ride a rail, before breaking gravity's hold, executing a perfect 360 horizontal spin, landing perfectly on the water as the wave began to break, carrying her back to the beach.

Emma beamed. "Fin, that was _awesome!_"

Ben nodded. "Nice one, McCloud!"

"Sweet sesh, bra," Broseph agreed.

"Pfft. Seen better," Reef grumbled.

Fin rolled her eyes. "So do better, kook."

"Oh, I _will!_" Reef snapped. At that, he charged into the next wave, popping up as it crested, shooting up to the whitecap to execute a perfect flip, before gliding back down, performing a 360 spin along the water's surface once he'd done so. As the wave started breaking, Reef leapt off, executing an aerial nosegrab, before landing on the dying wave, letting it carry him in. "Beat _that!_"

Fin's eyes narrowed. "Oh, _please!_ That 360 was sloppy, and you know it!"

"As if, betty!"

Max politely coughed. "If you two are done, I think it's _my_ turn."

"Yeah, yeah, go ahead," Fin said, before turning a glare back on Reef, not noticing as Max leisurely waded into the surf. "You're just trying to get out of paying, you cheap kook!"

As Max started to paddle into the wave, Emma's eyes went wide. "Uh, guys?"

Reef never looked away. "Says the betty who _knows_ she got her butt kicked!"

Seeing his Grandpa pop up, Ben glanced to his arguing friends. "Guys, _look!_"

Exasperated, Fin turned. "_What?_" she demanded, but her ire drained away as she saw Max skimming across the waves, utterly at home. "Huh," she mused. "That's…that's not bad."

Having set his pace, Max lanced up to the whitecap, clearing it with significant hangtime, executing a perfect nosegrab, before whirling into a 360 spin before landing. Reef's eyes went wide. "Whoa…not bad for an old guy…"

But Max wasn't done; gliding low across the crest, he shot up again, this time leaping into a flawless, full-reverse-somersault, landing perfectly on the whitecap, right before leaping again, into a _720_ spin, working the wave like a master.

Fin's eyes nearly bugged out of her _head._ "_Oh my GOD!_ Did…did he just _do_ that?"

As the wave started to wane, Max knew he had time for one last trick; just before the whitecap collapsed, he glided back up to its very top, leaping off into a reverse 360 tailgrab spin, touching down on the water, letting it carry him in.

The five groms were completely flabbergasted, Ben most of all. "Grandpa…_where_ did you learn to surf like that?"

Max chuckled. "Ben, didn't I tell you?" he answered. "This was a favourite hangout of mine back in the old days!"

Reef's jaw was hanging open. "_Dude!_" he gasped out. "We…we just got _old-schooled!_"

Max grinned. "Well, that's enough for me," he said. "Why don't we all get some snacks?" He gestured to Reef and Fin. "These two noobs are buying!"

As Max walked off, Fin skewered Ben with an annoyed glare. "What the _hell_, States? Why didn't you _warn_ us that your grandfather was a…a frickin' _Kahuna?_"

"Hey, it's news to me, too!" Ben countered, as they headed towards the concession stand. "I was as surprised as you two were!"

By then, they had caught up with Max, who was just ordering their snacks from the pudgy guy at the counter, dubbed "Snack Shack." After taking one look at Max, Snack Shack paled. "You're…you're…"

"I know who I am," Max said pleasantly. "I'll take a round of sodas for my grandson and his friends."

As Snack Shack hurried back into the shop, Ben looked quizzical. "Grandpa?" he asked. "What was all that about?"

Max changed the subject. "So, you kids know any other decent surfing-spots?" he asked. "This beach will do in a pinch, but I can think of a few better ones."

Emma suppressed a knowing smile. "Um…not really."

"Oh," Max answered. "Well, in that case, maybe you'd like to check out my pals' old hangout. Maybe you've heard about it; the Office?"

The five groms nearly _choked._ "_Dude!_" Broseph cried. "You know about the Office?"

Max arched an eyebrow. "Judging by your expressions, I assume you _all_ know about it," he chuckled.

"Uh, yeah!" Reef said. "So how do _you…_"

He was interrupted as Snack Shack came back with their sodas. "Your sodas, oh Great One!"

"Thank you," Max replied, before glancing beyond the counter. "I see your store still has that old photograph of my pals; mind if we take a look?" Nodding, Snack Shack quickly took down the old, black-and-white, framed photograph hanging on the back wall, and handed it to Max. "I think this should answer a few questions," he said, holding it out to the groms. "Read the caption, if you will."

An eyebrow arched, Reef took a look…and snorted. "Pfft! It's just a bunch of old guys!"

Fin rolled her eyes. "Let someone who actually has a _brain_ take a look, Chowderhead." She peered over his shoulder. "Oh my God…is that..?"

"Yep," Max confirmed. "Neil Armstrong. It was the weekend before his little pleasure-trip to the moon, so the rest of us decided to give him a proper send-off."

"Neil _Armstrong?_" Emma exclaimed. "As in One-Gi-freaking-Normous-Leap-For-Mankind Neil Armstrong? You _know_ him?"

Max laughed. "_Know_ him? Honey, the only reason he _was_ up there was because he won the coin-toss!" he said. "I _knew_ I should've checked to see if he brought his two-headed coin!" He shrugged. "Still, it's just as well; I had other things on my plate…plus, I'd have probably hammed it up!"

"Okay, that is _unimaginably_ cool," Fin said, smiling, "but I still don't see what that has to do with…"

"Keep reading."

Eyebrow arched, Fin skimmed over the rest of the caption, as well as the photo, which included a _much_ younger Max. "Okay, there's Neil, Derek "Dutch" Schmidt, Francis "Paddy" O'Hara, and Maxwell "Mad…""

Her voice trailed off, as her eyes went wide, her mouth dropping open. "What?" Reef asked, following her gaze. "What's so…" But as he saw what she'd seen, he paled. "No _way…_"

Max grinned. "_Way._"

Emma blinked. "Huh?"

Fin found her voice. "You're…you're _him?_"

Max nodded.

"Okay, what are you guys _talking_ about?" Ben demanded.

"_Dude!_" Reef exclaimed. "Your Grandpa…is _Madcap Max!_"

Broseph and Emma both gasped. "_THE_ Madcap Max?" Emma cried. "The creator of the…the _Zero-G?_ The guy who discovered the _Office?_"

Max laughed. "Now _there's_ a name I haven't heard in about 20 years!"

Broseph dropped to his knees, bowing low. "_We are not worthy!_" he cried. "_We are not worthy!_"

"Oh, _stop_ it!" Max scolded. "For heaven's sake! You're making me feel old!" He glanced to Reef and Fin. "And close your mouths before a bee flies in there!"

Reef and Fin promptly did so. "No _wonder_ we got our butts handed to us!" Fin exclaimed.

"Can't argue there!" Reef agreed.

Her hands clasped, Emma's expression turned pleading. "Oh, please, please, _please_ teach me some of your surf-moves, Mr. Madcap!" she begged. "I'm still goofing up on my cutbacks, and I _really_ need some help!"

Max chuckled. "Sweetie, you don't need an old fogey like me!" he answered, gesturing to Reef and Fin. "Just ask one of those two lovebirds; they're both plenty good enough."

"Whoa, whoa, _whoa!_" Fin cried. "No offence to your awesome awesomeness, oh Mighty Madcap, but Chowderhead and I are _not_ lovebirds!"

"Got that right!" Reef said. "The Reefster does _not_ get tied down; it's not fair to the rest of the ladies."

Fin snorted. "_Riiiight._"

Max blinked. "Oh. I'm…sorry," he said. "It's just…from the way you two acted, I figured you were together."

Fin was confused. "Huh?"

Max grinned. "The two of you fight like an old married couple," he explained. "It took Ben's grandmother and I a good five _years_ to get that good."

Broseph burst out laughing. "_Man,_ I hear that!"

Ben couldn't help but chortle along. "The way these two go at each other, sometimes we feel like locking them in a closet!"

Fin sputtered. "Oh, like you and Lo are any _better?_"

Ben froze, before he frowned. "Shut up."

A knowing smile crossing his face, Max arched an eyebrow. "Oh?" he asked. "Anything you'd care to tell me, Benjamin?"

Ben gulped. "No, not really."

Max shrugged. "Suit yourself," he answered, getting up to go. "In any case, I think I'd better go rest this old back; at my age, one or two cutbacks can _wreck_ my lumbar." With that, he headed off.

"There goes a living, breathing _legend_, bro," Broseph murmured.

Fin was equally awed. "_How_ could you not _know_ your _Grandpa_ was the _Madcap_, States?"

Ben scratched his head. "Hey, at the start of the summer, I didn't even know what the _Office_ was!"

"_SLACKERS!_"

Cringing, the five of them turned to see an utterly irate Bummer. "Was I _unclear?_" he seethed. "Did I not _say_ that _everyone_ was to make _certain_ that Mr. Stevens' stay was perfect? That _everyone_ was on _24-hour_ duty?"

Fin gulped. "But…we're on break…"

"_STRIKE! ALL of you!_" Bummer exploded. "Now I suggest that you all get your butts _back_ to the hotel and do your jobs…and where the hell is Lo?"

Ben paled. "I…think I saw her heading for the golf-course!" he exclaimed. "She should still be there!" Scowling, Bummer promptly stormed off.

"Uh, Ben?" Emma asked. "Lo went to the spa with Heidi; you saw them leave…"

"Well, _duh;_ of course I know that!" Ben chided. "I just figured I'd buy enough time to warn her Bummer's on the warpath!"

Broseph chuckled. "Not that you care or anything, bro."

Ben rolled his eyes. "Whatever," he grumbled, before he hurried off.

"Guess I'd better get back to work," Emma sighed. "You guys coming?"

"Later, bra," Broseph answered. "We gotta wait for El…"

He was silenced by Reef's elbow to his side. "…for El Caliente Chili Fries!" he finished. "Kahuna's giving us a run into town to pick up some!"

Fin arched an eyebrow. "You're risking your job…for grindage."

"Hey, this is _quality_ grindage, betty! Besides, we'll be back before Bummer knows we're gone!" With that, the two of them hurried off.

Emma was perplexed. "Okay…" She glanced to Fin. "You coming?"

"As much as I'd like to find out what Chowderhead's up to, it's not worth my job," Fin answered. "Good luck in the DR."

Emma giggled. "As long as nobody makes any more chili, I'll be okay!" That drew a laugh from Fin, as she headed off, with Emma following.

XXXXXXXX

_A few minutes earlier_

"_Ah_, I finally feel _human_, again!"

As she and her BFF walked out of the spa, both in their bikinis, Lo smiled blissfully as she plucked the cucumber slices from her eyes, sliding her shades down over her face. "Heidi, you have officially _saved_ my _life!_ I don't know _how_ I lasted this long without a decent spa-day!" She sighed. "Sorry you had to use your card, though."

Heidi giggled, sliding down her own shades. "What are BFFs for?" she asked. "So, what next? Wanna sunbathe out on deck and make some boys drool?"

Lo beamed. "You read my mind!" With that, the two BFFs strutted out onto the pool-deck…and _froze._

Instead of seeing the bountiful crowd of hot-guys that typically populated the pool area in the afternoon, Lo and Heidi saw nothing but _old folks_: the pool itself was dotted with geezers in swim-trunks, while old biddies in bathing-suits lounged on the deck, chatting about this and that.

Lo was utterly horrified, until she recalled the resort's calendar. "Oh _no!_ _Senior's Day!_"

Heidi was just as mortified as she was. "Okay, there is no _way_ I am going out there with all those…_fossils!_"

Lo gulped. "We…we can still do this," she murmured. "They don't usually stay out very long; all we have to do is get to a couple empty chairs, and wait 'em out!" She took a deep breath. "Just…don't look directly at them!" Heidi looked stricken, but she slowly nodded, following Lo out onto the deck.

Moving very cautiously, the two girls crept their way past the gaggle of senior citizens, making their way to the mostly-unoccupied far end of the pool-deck, without being noticed by any of the elderly patrons. Breathing a relieved sigh, Lo dropped into an empty sun-chair. "_That_ was close!"

"Mm-hm!" Heidi agreed, taking the chair next to her. "Seriously, girl, I don't know _how_ you manage to stay alive here; I mean, old folks, dish-washing, Andrew Baumer _and_ that witch _Kelly?_ I'd have _killed_ myself, by now!"

Lo managed a faint smile. "I kinda thought that, too, but…it's not _all_ bad…"

A knowing smile crossed Heidi's face. "Let me guess: cute boys as coworkers?" she asked. "Like that one I saw, back there? The one that saved you?" Her grin turned lascivious. "I bet you were loving every _second_ he was on top of you…"

"_Ugh!_ Not you _too_, Heidi!" Lo shrieked. "Is _everybody_ getting on my case about that?"

"Oh, come _on,_ Lo; there's nothing wrong with your taste!" Heidi insisted. "I admit, I'm not fussy about the uniform, but I'm liking what's _inside_ it!" Her grin widened. "And speak of the devil!"

Turning her head, Lo frowned as she saw Ben, in only his swim-trunks, ran onto the deck, looking around, until his gaze intersected hers. Freezing, Lo quickly looked away, cursing her cheeks as they started burning. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Ben start to head her way, but paused as his grandfather casually strolled onto the deck, his expression knowing as he said something. At Max's remark, Ben's face went red, as he vehemently denied it, but from Max's expression, he wasn't convinced.

Utterly annoyed, Lo wasn't about to give Heidi any more ammunition; she was about to get up to go, but a wheedling voice made her _freeze._ "Look, girls! _Young_ stuff!"

Slowly, like a deer caught in a headlight, Lo craned her neck, spotting the trio of wrinkled old ladies, in tacky old swimsuits, their hair a mix between white and blue, sitting in chairs a few seats over…staring in Ben's direction. "Ooh, Ethel, you're _right!_" a second old lady cooed. "Talk about _handsome!_ Be still, my pacemakered heart!"

The first lady – Ethel – smirked. "Forget it, Delia; I saw him first."

The third frowned. "I think that's up to _him,_ Ethel."

Ethel chuckled. "Keep dreaming, Prudence; we all know whose birthday suit needs the _least_ starch…"

Fighting her rising gorge, Lo stood up. "Okay, _EEEWW!_" she shouted. "Seriously, what the hell is _wrong_ with you old bags? That's my _coworker_ you're mooning over!"

Confused, the three old ladies looked her way. "Coworker?" Prudence repeated. "Honey…isn't he a little old to be working with you?"

"Uh, _hello?_ He's _MY_ age!"

Delia's eyes went wide…before she chuckled. "Oh, my…girls, I think she thinks we're talking about that brown-haired boy!"

Lo froze. "What?"

All three ladies were laughing now. "Oh, sweetie, don't get us wrong," Prudence chided. "Sure, he's as cute as a _button_, but as far as we're concerned, he's in _diapers!_"

Ethel nodded. "We were _talking_ about that silver-haired _stud_ standing _next_ to him!"

Lo blinked. "You were…talking about Ben's grandpa?"

Delia beamed. "Hear that, girls? He's a _grandfather!_" she sighed dreamily. "Oh, doesn't he show his age _well?_"

Prudence sighed. "I _know;_ not a bald spot on that head!" she crooned. "And no chest-scars! He…he must be on his first heart!" She gasped. "And…are those..?"

"Yeah," Ethel confirmed. "They're his _own teeth._"

Lo felt woozy. "Oh, God…Heidi, we have to get out of here!" she cried. "If I stay here, any longer, I am going to _projectile-puke_ into that pool!"

Heidi giggled. "Are you sure it's not lover-boy being near that's making your heart go pitter-patter?"

Lo frowned. "Shut up." With that, she walked off.

Seeing her go, Ben quickly walked towards her. "Lo, we have a problem."

"You _bet_ we have a problem, Tennyson!" Lo snapped. "I just had to listen to a bunch of old biddies making…_buzzard-calls_ at your grandfather! I think I may have to get my _ears_ bleached out!"

Ben paled. "You're kidding," he murmured, before shaking his head. "Never mind that, Lo; right now, Bummer's on the warpath, so _anybody_ not working is on his…_crap!_"

Lo froze. "Huh?" she asked. Ben's only response was to grab hold of her shoulders and push her behind a nearby wall. Utterly furious, Lo was about to rip into him…

…until a familiar voice beat her to it. "_TENNYSON!_ Why aren't you helping Mr. Stevenson?"

From her hiding-spot, Lo saw Ben's sheepish grin. "I was just on my way to, sir! I just thought I'd double-check to see if Lo was here, first; I know you said you were looking for her!" he answered. "Too bad she's not here!"

Lo's fury completely drained away, to be replaced by confusion. '_Ben's…covering for me?_'

Bummer's accusing finger lanced out, inches from Ben's nose. "Listen here, buster; you've already got _two_ strikes! One more and you're _out_ of here!" he snapped. "If I find out you've sent me on some wild-goose chase…"

"_Never_, sir!" Ben vowed. "I'll let her know you're looking for her as soon as I see her!"

Bummer's finger dropped. "You'd _better!_" With that, he walked off.

Once Bummer was gone, Ben turned towards Lo. "Well, you heard him; you'd better get back to work before he catches on."

Lo's expression was _beyond_ perplexed. "W-Why did you…"

"Because you were actually _trying_ to impress this guy…or at least, more than you have before," Ben quipped. "I figured you didn't deserve to get that blown to heck just because we got Bummer in a bad mood." He chuckled. "Not that _that's_ a stretch."

Lo quickly looked to the side, both to bite down a laugh at his remark…and to hide the rosy tint in her cheeks. "Oh. Well…thanks."

Ben chuckled. "Anytime."

Catching his calm smile, Lo felt her blush intensify. '_I do not like him. I do not like him. I do not like him…_'

"Lo!"

Silently thanking the Big Guy for the distraction, Lo turned to see Emma walking into the lobby. "We'd better get back to work!" she called, before heading inside.

Nodding, Lo started to head after her…and ran into Heidi. "Okay, was that fashion-reject talking to you, again?" she muttered, before smiling at her BFF. "Lo, I just got a text from Mindy; the latest designs from A&F came in, this afternoon! We _have_ to be there!"

Lo smiled helplessly. "Uh…sure!" she replied. "Just have to…clear it with my boss, okay?"

Heidi sighed, rolling her eyes. "Not really liking this "working-girl" thing you're doing, Lo. The sooner you convince your dad to let you out, the better." With that, she headed off.

Ben snorted. "Nice friend you got there."

Lo frowned. "Shut up," she muttered. "Heidi's my BFF; we've known each other since kindergarten…"

"Oh, sure; she insults your friends _and_ your job," Ben retorted. "With friends like her, who needs enemies?" He sighed. "I gotta go."

As Ben headed into the hotel, Lo let out an annoyed "_Hmph!_" as she folded her arms. '_Oh, please, like he knows anything about how having BFFs work…_'

"Tough day?"

Startled, Lo turned to find Max standing there, just about to head inside. "I caught the tail end of what you and Ben were talking about; anything wrong?"

Lo sighed. "You mean, anything worse than getting caught at DR Ground Zero?" she asked. "Not really."

Max chuckled, scratching his head. "Yeah, sorry about that." His expression turned serious. "But that other young lady – Heidi, you said? – wasn't exactly complimentary to your other friend; not from what I heard, anyway."

"So Heidi can be a bit snappy, sometimes!" Lo exclaimed. "She's still my BFF! And then Ben goes and starts in at me just because Heidi snapped at Emma! _God_, can't he just mind his own freaking _business_ just for one stupid _day?_ _Uuurrgghh!_"

Max could only chuckle at her outburst. "Yeah, Ben's always had a habit of sticking his nose where it didn't always belong; oh, the _stories_ I could tell about summer vacation!" He sighed. "As for your issues with your friend, that _is_ a tough one, no doubt about it." His expression turned somewhat sad. "I don't know; maybe it's just the times."

Lo blinked. "Huh?"

"In my day, young ladies were just…_nice_ to each other, or at least they tried to show a little courtesy," Max continued. "These days, from what I hear, even at a place like the grocery store, most young women are more likely to verbally disembowel each other than to point out the daily specials." He shook his head. "I just don't know; maybe I've just lived too long."

Lo didn't know what to say to that.

Max shrugged. "But you must have better things to do than listen to this old man ramble on," he finished, turning to go. "I'm sure you'll figure out what to do." And with that, he was gone.

Utterly perplexed, Lo could only stand on the pool-deck, torn between irritation, confusion, and guilt: irritation from dealing with Ben, guilt from what Max had said, and confusion about what to do about both…

"_AAAAAAAAAAAACK!_"

Hearing that high-pitched – borderline girlish – scream, Lo raced into the lobby, where she found Emma and Fin standing over a fallen Bummer, with Johnny kneeling by him, waving smelling salts over his nose. "How…" Bummer murmured, dazed. "How…could I have…gotten it wrong…"

Lo had _never_ seen him like that. "W-What happened?"

"We misread the reservations," Johnny lamented. "We'd been giving the 5-star treatment to _Seymour_ Stevens, while hotel-critic _Stanley_ Stevens got the bottom of the barrel! He just stormed out of here, saying it was the worst hotel he'd ever been to!"

Lo went _deathly_ pale. "If…if he says _that_ in his review, Daddy'll _never_ let me come home!"

"Forget _that!_" Fin cried. "If that review gets published, when Bummer comes to, he'll can _all_ of us!"

Emma looked ready to cry. "We're dead _meat!_"

Lo couldn't blame Emma – she felt like bawling, herself – but a familiar voice stopped her cold. "He only left five minutes ago," Max said, walking into view. "If you hurry, you can catch him."

Fin blinked. "Uh, okay," she said. "_Then_ what? He's not gonna listen to us…"

"Tell him that if he wants to see what Surfer's Paradise is _really_ about, he'd better get to the main beach at 5:23 _sharp,_" Max said. "Oh, and you ladies will probably want to come as well; bring your surf-gear."

As Max walked off, Emma could only stare. "Okay…that was random…"

"No time!" Lo exclaimed. "If Mr. Stevens is heading for the wharf to catch the ferry, we've got to beat him there!" She motioned to the door. "Come on; we'll use my jeep…"

"Lo!"

Cringing, Lo turned to spot Heidi walking up to them. "I just got texted – Cecilia is already on her way to the sale! We have to _go!_"

"Not now, Heidi; we're in the middle of a crisis!" Lo cried.

Heidi rolled her eyes. "The only crisis I see is being stuck with these two rejects."

Lo grimaced. "Heidi…"

As Emma flinched, Fin's eyes narrowed. "Are you _looking_ to get smacked upside the head with a surfboard, princess? Because if so, _keep talking!_" she snapped. "Right now, we have more important things to worry about than your wardrobe!"

Heidi sneered. "Like I'm going to take fashion-advice from someone dressed like…"

"_Heidi, shut UP!_"

Lo's shout took _everyone_ by surprise, cutting Heidi's insult in two. "_Seriously_, Heidi, I don't know who put bitchy-pills in your cereal, this morning, but _don't_ talk to my friends like that!"

Heidi's eyes went wide. "Your…friends?" she repeated. "You're friends with…_those?_"

"They have _names,_ Heidi!" Lo snapped. "That's Emma, and that's Fin!" Taking hold of her two friends' hands, she finished, "And like Fin said, we've got _better_ things to do than sit around and listen to you insult us!" With that, she marched off, taking Emma and Fin with her.

As the trio walked towards Lo's jeep, Fin smiled. "Not bad, Ridgemount; there's hope for you, yet."

Emma beamed. "Thanks for sticking up for us, Lo; that was pretty cool."

Going pale, Lo froze in place as she realized what she'd just done. "I…I just totally _dissed_ my BFF…"

Fin shrugged. "Hey, if she _is_ your BFF, she'll get over it," she said. "Right now, we've got to worry about keeping our _jobs._"

That shook Lo out of her thoughts. "Right," she agreed, hopping into her jeep's driver's seat. "We should still be able to catch up to Mr. Stevens, but only if we haul tail _now!_"

As Emma and Fin hopped into the passenger's seats, Emma paused. "Hang on; don't you need a driver's license?"

"Please. I've got my learner's permit!" Lo answered. "I passed the exam, last time!"

Fin froze. "_Last_ time?" she asked…before she was pushed back into her seat as Lo gunned the engine, flooring it out of the parking-lot.

XXXXXXXX

After donning his uniform in the locker-room, Ben quickly made his way to the lobby…where he found Johnny helping a near-comatose Bummer into a nearby chair. "Whoa, what happened to _him?_"

Johnny sighed. "Long story," he answered. "All you need to know is that when he comes to, he's gonna be _steamed._"

Ben snorted. "So what else is new?"

"Point taken," Johnny said with a chuckle, before turning serious. "Reef and Broseph still haven't reported back in, which is going to put them on _top_ of Bummer's hit-list…"

"…unless somebody reels them in," Ben finished. "I'm on it." With that, he darted out of the lobby, knowing _exactly_ where to look.

Sure enough, Ben found his two fellow groms on the beach, arguing as the wind started to pick up, blowing the waves dangerously high, menacing against the black storm-clouds that were gathering far out to sea. "You're _way_ off-base, bro!" Broseph snapped. "If anybody's trying to hog the waves, it's _you!_"

Reef glared at him, getting right in his face. "Whatever, ya kook!"

"You just _crossed_ the line, bro..!"

"_COOL_ it!" Ben barked, forcing the two of them apart. "What the _hell_, guys? We're in a major crisis, and you two are about to throw down? Are you _kidding_ me?"

For a moment, Reef glanced to Ben, before glaring back at Broseph. "Hey, blame this wave-thief! I _saw_ him sneaking waves while I was working, this morning, and now we're like, ten minutes to El Duderino, and he's trying to sneak out ahead of me!"

"Oh, and that sesh you snagged while I was in the bathroom was nothing, dude?" Broseph shot back.

"_ENOUGH!_" Ben shouted. "Right now, _both_ of you are in for it if you don't get back to the hotel! Bummer's down for the count, but when he gets up, he's gonna put _everybody's_ butt in a sling if we don't get to work!"

Slowly, Reef and Broseph turned towards him. "And this happens _just_ as El Duderino's coming in, huh?" Reef asked.

"I hear ya, bro," Broseph agreed. "Smells seriously _funky._"

"Oh, for the love of…you're starting in at _me,_ now?" Ben cried.

"Save your breath, Benjamin."

Hearing his grandpa's voice, Ben turned towards Max as he walked onto the beach. "_I'll_ set these two straight; right now, you need to alert search and rescue."

Ben was confused. "Huh?"

"There's a major storm-front coming in," Max continued, "and Lauren and her two friends are out trying to stop that hotel-critic from leaving. If things get hairy, they'll need help."

And he punctuated that sentence with a knowing wink.

Ben quickly got the hint. "Oh. Right!" he agreed. "Good idea, Grandpa; I'll go call the Coast Guard; have them keep an eye out!" With that, he turned and hurried off the beach, darting behind the closed concession stand when no-one was looking; one Omni-surge later, Jetray blasted into the air, soaring towards Sunset Beach.

After about a minute's worth of scanning the horizon, Jetray's sharp eyes spotted two familiar heads of hair on the sidewalk below, looking over the edge…

Seeing what they were looking at, Jetray's eyes went wide with horror, before he dropped altitude, disappearing into the trees. Slamming the control-dial on his chest, Ben quickly returned to normal, before popping up the dial, twisting it until he'd found the alien he needed. '_We've got a big problem here,_' he thought, raising his hand, '_and big problems need BIGGER solutions!_' And he slammed his hand down on the dial.

Instantly, the Omnitrix started cycling, bathing him in another Omni-surge that reached deep into his bones, expanding and thickening them, drawing him up to more than _thrice_ his normal height. His muscles rapidly followed suit, bulking up and growing denser, turning him into a veritable powerhouse. His hair shrunk back into his skin, which rapidly hardened into orange scales, his head flattening into a more lizard-like form, his eye-sockets narrowing, his nose becoming two nostrils above his pronounced mouth. His massive spinal column extended, protruding a massive tail, easily as thick as a telephone pole, while his feet morphed into cylindrical stumps, reminiscent of an elephant…or a brontosaurus.

As the change finished itself, the new Ben roared out his existence, before he lumbered towards the road, his feet shaking the ground with each step…

XXXXXXXX

_A few minutes earlier_

"_Lo, slow down!_"

As she gunned the engine, sending her jeep racing along the highway, Lo glanced back at her friends, both in their swimsuits now, their surfboards strapped to the top of the jeep. "We're kind of in a hurry, Emma!" she called back. "Trying to catch a hotel critic, remember?"

Fin was hanging on for dear life in the seat next to her. "Yeah, but we'd kinda like to _live_ long enough to catch him!"

By then, the storm clouds looming in the distance had moved in, sending torrents of rain pelting down on them, while the setting sun vanished, replaced by dark skies. "What's with this weather?" Emma cried. "The forecast never said anything about this!"

Squinting, Lo strained to see the road ahead, until a flash of lightning lit up the road…illuminating the silhouette of an old blue car parked on the curb, overlooking a steep cliff, with a balding guy in shorts and a Hawaiian t-shirt changing the tire. "I see him! He's right there!" Quickly, Lo pulled over, parking behind Mr. Stevens' car, ignoring the soft earth as she ran towards him. "Mr. Stevens, _wait!_"

Looking up, Stanely Stevens groaned. "What the…I know you!" he snapped. "You're that waitress from that pathetic excuse for a hotel!"

Lo cringed. "Yeah, that was me," she admitted. "Please, just…will you give us another chance?"

"Not happening, missy! I've seen how your staff treats its guests!" Stanley retorted. "I can't think of _any_ hotel more deserving of a _zero!_"

"Okay, I think you're jumping to conclusions here, buster!" Fin said. "Our manager was majorly tweaked, and…"

"I _don't_ want to hear it!" Stanley barked. "I can't even _count_ how many times lousy hotels have whined for another chance, but it doesn't change a thing!" He turned back to fixing his tire. "Now if you'll excuse me, I intend to get back on the road so I can give Surfer's Paradise the zero it so richly _deserves…_"

Suddenly, a loud rumble shook the ground, cutting off Stanley's remark, as the ground near the cliff gave way, pitching Stanley's car over, sending it tumbling down, to crash into the rocky shore. The landslide rapidly expanded, collapsing the gravel under Stanley's feet; seeing him start to fall, Emma raced forward, grabbing his hand just before he went over. "Mr. Stevens, hang on!" she cried. "Fin, Lo, help me pull him up…"

But her shout turned into a scream as the ground gave way under _her_ feet, tipping Emma over the edge; at the last second, she was just able to grab onto the front bumper of Lo's jeep with her free hand, keeping them both up, but the ground under the jeep was starting to give way, as well…

"Emma, hang on!" Lo cried, racing to the jeep. "I'll back the jeep up and pull you guys up!"

Fin quickly stopped her. "Lo, are you nuts? You spin those wheels, you'll tear up the ground and make it collapse even faster!" she exclaimed. "We have to try to pull Emma and Stan up ourselves!" Stricken, Lo nodded, as she followed Fin to the edge. Dropping to her stomach, Fin reached over the edge. "Grab my legs so I can lean over more!" Lo promptly dropped to her knees, holding onto Fin's shins for dear life as the other girl reached towards their dangling friend; stretching herself to the limit, Fin tried to grab Emma's wrist, but it was no use – she was a few inches too short. "Lo, a little more slack!"

"I don't _have_ any more!" Lo cried. "I'm already down to your ankles!"

"_Damn_ it!" Fin cursed, before her expression turned sympathetic as she met Emma's terrified gaze. "Okay, just sit tight, Alberta; we're gonna think of something else, okay?"

Emma sniffled. "O-Okay," she whimpered. "Just please _hurry!_ I can't hold on much longer!"

Quickly standing up, Fin darted to the back of the jeep, and started looking around the trunk. "Oh, come _on!_ Don't you have any rope or emergency supplies in this thing, Ridgemount?"

Lo looked stricken. "I…I never thought I'd need them…"

Her remark was suddenly cut off by a bright flash of green light, shining from deep within the woods on the other side of the road…which was followed by an inhuman roar that turned her bones to _jelly._ "_HUMONGOUSAUR!_"

Lo's knees promptly started clicking together like some obscure African language. "W-W-What was _that?_"

Somehow, Fin hadn't noticed. "What was what?"

"That green light in the woods! That _roar!_"

Fin's eyes narrowed. "Are you _kidding_ me? Our friend is in _trouble_, and you're freaking about these stupid "monsters" that nobody else has ever…"

_**THUD.**_

Fin's tirade was cut off by that massive thump. "Okay, what was _that?_" Lo cried.

"That…that was just the quake that caused the landslide," Fin said, but her voice had lost some of its confidence. "That's all…"

_**THUD.**_

Fin's lower lip quivered, as the thump grew louder. "Aftershocks."

_**THUD.**_

As _that_ thump bounced them both into the air, Lo shook her head. "No _way_ are those aftershocks, Fin! They're getting _closer!_" she cried, her own horror growing as she realized what they were. "Those are…those are _footsteps..!_"

Fin shook her head, but her eyes were wide. "No, that…that _can't_ be it! There has to be a perfectly reasonable explanation for…"

_**THUD.**_

_Crrrreeeeeaaakk!_

The sound of creaking tree-trunks drew both Lo and Fin's eyes towards the treeline…where they spotted the creature that had just walked out of the forest.

With cold green eyes, a serpentine head, and a mammoth tail, the orange-scaled, bipedal saurian towered over three _times_ their height, his massively muscled bulk thumping the ground with every step as he lumbered towards them, the flashes of lightning briefly illuminating a disc on his chest…

Lo felt herself hyperventilating; not even that red fish-monster had been so terrifying. "Oh, God…oh, God…" she whimpered. "It's…it's Jurassic Park, all over again; we're about to get eaten by a _DINOSAUR!_"

Fin wasn't much better. "This isn't happening, this isn't happening!" she cried. "This…this is just a dream, that's all! I have to wake up!" Frantically, she pinched herself. "Come on…come _on!_ Wake _up_, McCloud! Wake _UP!_" But nothing happened, as the massive dinosaur thundered towards them…

…and then _over_ them, walking directly over their heads with one mammoth step.

The sheer surprise was enough to shake both girls out of their terror. "W-What?" Lo murmured. "We're…_not_ lunch?"

The dinosaur kept on walking, his emerald eyes fixed on the tipping jeep; the vehicle was just nanoseconds from going over when his hand shot out, grabbing the back bumper and lifting it up like a toy car, pulling Emma and Stanley up along with it, before slowly lowering it to the ground, letting Emma and Stanley let go safely.

As her feet touched the ground, Emma backed up frantically, her eyes like saucers. "W-What the heck?"

Stanley looked ready to have a heart-attack. "Oh, God…oh, God…"

Fin was frozen to the spot. "Okay…okay…this obviously isn't a dream," she murmured, "so what _is_ this?"

"I _told_ you!" Lo cried. "I _told_ you there were monsters out here!"

By then, Emma had managed to calm herself. "But…why did he save us?"

"Who _cares?_" Stanley cried. "I'm getting out of here before he decides to _eat_ us!"

Now Fin was calm. "And how exactly do you plan on doing that? _We're_ the ones with the car," she said. "We could be persuaded to give you a lift…if you gave us a second chance."

Stanley's eyes narrowed. "No way!"

The dinosaur's eyes narrowed, as he leaned in close, his face inches from Stanley's. "_The way I see it, buster, you got two choices,_" he rumbled, his voice resonating from deep within his massive torso. "_You can either go with them, or stay with __**me.**__ Pick one._"

As Stanley froze, Fin's eyes went buggy. "You…you _talk?_"

The dinosaur folded his arms. "_What do you think I am? Stupid?_"

Emma quickly raised her hands. "S-She didn't mean anything!" she cried. "W-We're sorry, Mr. Dinosaur!"

The dinosaur just grunted. "_Eh. Been called worse,_" he groused. "_And the name is…_" He froze, as a red light started to pulse from his chest. "_Oh, CRAP!_"

With a swiftness that belied his size, the dinosaur turned and sprinted back towards the treeline. Fin could only blink at the sight, before she sprinted after him. "_Wait!_ Hold on a minute!" she shouted. "Just what the heck _are_ you…"

Fin was a few feet from the treeline, close enough to see the dinosaur vanish into the trees; she was about to chase after it, but a rusty-looking camper quickly pulled up in front of her, blocking her path. Seconds later, Max hopped out of the driver's seat. "Everyone alright?"

The second he said that, a flash of ruby light flared from the woods.

Fin was flabbergasted. "Did you just…didn't you see…it was _huge..!_"

Max arched an eyebrow. "Come again?"

Realizing how idiotic she sounded, Fin deflated. "Nothing."

"Mr. Tennyson, what are you doing here?" Emma asked.

"Well, since you were taking so long, I figured you'd run into some trouble, so I thought I'd come see what was what!" Max said, checking his watch. "You'd better get a move on; we're running low on time!"

Quickly, Lo hurried towards her jeep, but Stanley crossed his arms. "_Forget_ it!" he cried. "I've had _enough_ of this…this _madhouse!_ I'm getting out of here!"

Folding his arms, Max chuckled as Stanley started to walk away. "I've never known you to walk away from anything, Stan the Man. What happened?"

It was as if Max had just said the magic words; Stanley froze in his tracks, slowly turning around. "How…how did you know my old handle?"

Max just grinned.

Stanley stared at him…and his eyes went wide. "_Madcap?_" he murmured. "Madcap _Max?_ Is…is that _you?_"

Max laughed. "Twenty years later!"

Slowly, Stan started to smile. "What are you doing here?"

"Tag along, and you might find out!" Max answered. "Besides, these young ladies wanted you to see the _real_ Surfer's Paradise – the one _I_ came to see! You up for it?"

Stan blinked for a moment, and then nodded. "Okay."

"_No!_"

Lo's cry startled them all, drawing their gazes towards her jeep's smoking engine. "I can't start it!" she wailed. "We're _stuck_ here!"

Fin and Emma's expression started to droop, but Max's chuckle stopped them. "Is that all?" he asked, as he opened the camper door. "Well, there's plenty of room in the Rustbucket!"

Lo flinched. '_The __**Rustbucket?**__ Are you kidding me?_' she thought. "You expect me to get a ride…in _that?_"

"Uh, we don't have time to call the limo, Princess!" Fin scoffed, grabbing their boards and following Emma and Stanley inside. "If you'd prefer to wait for that dinosaur to come back, that's _your_ call!"

Lo wilted, sighing to herself, before she darted inside, ducking down low as she sat down. "Just…don't let anybody _see_ me!"

Once the doors were all shut, Max took his seat. "Everybody buckle up!" he called back, snapping his seatbelt into place. "The old girl's kinda peppy!"

As the four of them followed Max's advice, Fin arched an eyebrow. "No offence, Madcap, but I really don't see this tin can going much faster than 20 kilometers per…"

Had she been looking up, she might have spotted Max tap a red button on his gear-shift…which raised a high-tech-looking control-panel out of the dash. "Hang on tight!" Max called, tapping a few buttons. "Here we go!"

Fin's remark was forced back into her throat as the Rustbucket suddenly accelerated _hard_, pushing all four of them back into their seats, their skulls almost sinking all the way through the headrests from the force of the camper's thrust. '_Okay, WHERE did this old guy get this hunk of junk? NASA?_'

It was official; there _had_ to be something screwy with Ben's family.

XXXXXXXX

"Okay, that storm is getting seriously nasty, bro; El Duderino's _gotta_ be on the way!"

As Broseph spoke, Reef looked out to the stormy sea, flinching as the surf started to churn. "That'd be my bet."

"Who's betting?"

Turning, the two groms saw a winded Ben, in his surf-gear, his board in hand, come running up. "Any word on the betties, bro?" Broseph asked. "Getting massively ugly, out there…"

"Uh…yeah; search-and-rescue called back," Ben answered. "They said my Grandpa found them; they're on their way back, right now."

"Well, he's gonna be too late for El Duderino, dude, unless he's got some turbo-charged…" Reef's voice trailed off as he listened. "Hang on…is that a jet-engine, or something?"

Sure enough, the faint roar of a rocket-afterburner was echoing in the distance, and getting closer. "Must be a fighter-jet overhead or something…" Broseph mused.

Glancing over his shoulder, Ben quickly pointed out to sea. "T-There it is! El Duderino's coming in!" Instantly, Reef and Broseph stared out at the ocean…causing them to miss the Rustbucket as it screamed around the corner of the beach's access-road, its built-in rear-mounted thrusters oaring full-throttle. Seconds later, the thrusters powered off, shutting down and retracting back into the camper, as front-mounted retro-rockets popped out, firing for a few seconds, and then retracting, bringing the Rustbucket to a complete standstill _right_ behind the three of them.

Reef and Broseph had just turned back around as the Rustbucket stopped. "Dude, I don't see any…" Reef began, but his eyes went wide. "What the…where'd _that_ come from?"

As Max stepped out of the cabin, Broseph's expression mirrored Reef's. "Whoa…the Madcap's gotta be packing some _serious_ horsepower on that rig, dude."

Once Max had disembarked, the rear door swung open, allowing the passengers to pour out. Emma was first, dropping to her knees as she happily hugged the sand. "Sweet ground! Oh, I love you, I love you, I _love_ you!"

Lo was next, sagging against the Rustbucket as she dropped to her rear, as Fin and Stanley stumbled past her. "I…am…_never_…getting…in a camper…_ever_ again!"

Max looked apologetic. "Sorry if the ride was bumpy, honey; just didn't want to miss it."

Fin groaned, resting her hands on her knees as she doubled over. "Miss _what?_ What was so darn important?"

"El Duderino."

As Reef choked in mid-breath, Stanley's eyes went wide. "El Duderino? It's…_here?_"

"Yep."

Emma blinked as she stood up. "What's an El Duderino?"

Fin's expression turned suspicious as she glared at Reef. "Wait…you chowderheads were babbling something like that, this morning…"

"Oh, it's only the biggest, sickest wave in existence," Max said. "Comes around every 20 years."

"What?" Fin cried. As she rounded on Reef, her eyes narrowed. "_What?_"

"Grandpa," Ben murmured, "you know about El Duderino?"

"Why'd you think I _came_ here?"

Fin was irate. "You knew there was an awesome wave coming and you didn't _tell_ me?" she exploded.

Reef glared back. "Oh, come on! You _so_ would've done the same thing to me!"

"_QUIET!_"

Max's gaze was hard as he skewered the two of them with a glare. "Good _grief_, you two! I take it back: you both argue worse than Ben and his cousin used to!"

Ben's eyes went wide. "_Look!_" he cried, as he pointed out to sea…towards a _massive_ swell, rising up out of nowhere, towering as high as the hotel…and then _higher._

All six groms stopped and stared. "Is…is that?" Fin murmured.

Max grinned. "Yep."

Stanley was awed. "It's just like I remember…"

"That it is, Stan," Max said, "and it's big enough for _everyone._" He smirked. "There's an extra surfboard in the back, Stan; you up for it?"

For a second, Stanley hesitated…and then grinned. "Count me in!"

Glancing out at the approaching superwave, Max laughed. "Then what the heck are we waiting for?" With that, he dashed out into the surf, followed by all six groms, along with Stanley, having grabbed the spare board.

By the time the eight of them had paddled out into the oncoming El Duderino, the mega-wave was fast approaching full force, almost _twice_ the height of the hotel, now. One-by-one, they popped up, and glided up onto the massive crest, letting the surging currents carry them along…into the ride of their _lives._

"_Whooooohoooo!_" Emma cheered, racing along the massive wave, keeping well below the whitecap, miraculously managing to keep her balance. Several feet behind her, Broseph darted straight up, clearing the whitecap with a sidegrab 360, before landing back on the wave perfectly.

Gliding along the wave, Reef pulled off a sweet cutback, only to see Fin zip past him further up the wave. "Pick up the pace, Barnacle Brains!" she teased.

"Oh, you want fast, betty? You're _on!_" With that, he darted after her, quickly matching her speed…

…at which point Max and Stanley shot past them _both._ "Pay attention, kids!" Max laughed. "_This_ is how you work a wave!" With that, he shot up to the whitecap, leaping into a reverse flip that morphed into a mid-flip spin, somehow landing perfectly on the water. Stan was close behind, launching his board into a 720 spin, holding the nose until the last minute, landing easily on the water.

Taking a deep breath, Ben guided his board up to the whitecap, and then launched off, managing a simple nose-grab before gravity reclaimed him, pulling him back to the water. '_Okay…getting better,_' he thought, as he traced his hand through the wave, awed by the sheer force behind it…

His reverie was suddenly interrupted as Lo shot past, her hair dancing in the wind as she flitted across the wave's crest, her board angling this way and that, catching mini-swells perfectly. "Are you here to surf, or sleep, Tennyson?" she teased.

Ben laughed, as he moved to catch up with her. "That's funny coming from you, Princess!" he quipped back.

Lo laughed. "What's funny, buster, is that you're about to get _smoked!_"

"Bring it on!" With that, Ben took Lo's dare, following her back up to the whitecap; angling her board so it was nose-down, Lo slid along the whitecap, before cutting back and zipping into the wave. Not to be outdone, Ben leapt into a 360, grabbing the tail of his board, before landing, almost losing it, but managing to stay afloat.

As Ben glided back down, Lo moved alongside him, giggling. "Well, you might just make a decent surfer, yet!"

Ben laughed. "Praise from _you?_ Now I _know_ I'm dreaming!" Her giggles turning softer, Lo absently brushed a lock of her hair out of her eyes, back behind her ear below her hair-clip, as their eyes met.

For a moment, Ben _swore_ he could feel the wave _slow_, along with everything else…until he spotted the approaching shore out of the corner of his eye. "Uh-oh! I think this ride's over!"

By then, El Duderino had reached the shore, towering over the sands…but instead of breaking on the beach with its terrible force, it suddenly collapsed, simply sinking back into the sea, sending the eight surfers toppling into the drink with no warning at all, as the water went calm, as if it had never even been there.

Coughing and sputtering, the eight of them walked back onto the beach, setting the boards down. Ben and Lo were the last to walk out; bewildered, the two of them glanced back out to sea…and let out whoops of joy at the exact same time. "That was _AWESOME!_" Lo squealed, practically flying into Ben's arms, delirious with adrenaline. "Did you _SEE_ that?"

"I know!" Ben whooped, spinning her around, before setting her back on her feet. "That was the most incredible thing I've ever _seen!_"

Ben and Lo's whoops were echoed by the rest of the groms, bringing a grin to Max's face. "Well, I hope you all enjoyed it!" he said. "It'll be another 20 years before El Duderino comes back this way."

Reef's grin suddenly drooped. "Aw, man! We never got pictures!" he complained. "How are we supposed to get on the cover of any surf-mags now?"

"Dude, I'll take a quality wave over fame and swag _any_ day!" Broseph said, before turning somber. "I guess we both got a little wave-crazy at the end, bro."

Fin chuckled. "No kidding."

Emma nodded, and then giggled as she spotted Ben and Lo. "Ben? Lo?" she asked. "Okay, I know that wave was intense…but I think you can let go of each other's hands, now."

Lo blinked. "Huh?"

Ben arched an eyebrow. "What?" Looking down, they both were surprised to see their hands holding each other, their fingers comfortably entwined.

Ben's face went rosy. "_Oh!_ Uh…_wow._ H-How'd _that_ happen?"

Lo's blush was just as intense as Ben's. "Uh…yeah!" she agreed. "_Totally_ unexpected!"

Fin smiled wryly. "And yet you're still not letting go."

"Uh…right," Ben murmured.

"G-Good idea," Lo agreed.

Their hands didn't move for a few more seconds, before finally separating.

Thankfully, Broseph broke the silence. "Madcap, something's been bugging me," he murmured. "I get how you knew about El Duderino…but how'd Stan know?"

"Can't you tell?" Max asked. "Stan here was the _last_ guy to ride El Duderino!"

Reef's eyes almost popped out of his head. "You mean…they guy on all those old surf-mags was _him?_"

Stan nodded, utterly mellow now. "Had longer hair back then, dude," he said. "The Madcap taught me everything I knew about surfing, just like he knew one sesh on El Duderino would put everything back in perspective." He sighed. "Still can't believe I got so focused on my career I almost missed it…"

"Hey, it happens to the best of us, Stan," Max said. "So, anybody up for a campfire? I've got marshmallows!"

Emma gulped. "Promise they won't explode?" Max nodded. "Okay." With that, she and the other groms followed Max along the beach, heading towards the Rustbucket.

XXXXXXXX

"So, your grandfather is actually _Madcap Max?_"

Shortly after El Duderino had broken on the beach, the storm had rapidly dissipated, revealing a starry night perfect for a campfire. While Max had ducked back into the Rustbucket, the six groms, plus Stan, had built a fire, and were sitting around it, toasting marshmallows. Grinning at Lo's inquiry, Ben nodded. "Yeah, it was a shock to me, too!"

Fin laughed. "I still can't believe that a grom with the blood of the Madcap could have started as such a noob!"

"Hey, there aren't any waves in Bellwood! Give me a break!"

Reef chuckled. "No worries, bro; the Reefster'll have you shredding like a pro in no time!" he said. "Don't worry about the fee; just have gramps teach me the Zero-G, and we'll call it even."

Fin's eyes narrowed. "Uh, I think the Child of the Madcap should learn from a _real_ surfer," she snapped, "because if _anybody's_ getting taught the Zero-G, it's _me!_"

"Dream on, betty!"

Ben sighed. "Wow, they really _do_ fight worse than Gwen and I did."

Emma arched an eyebrow. "You and your cousin fight a lot?"

"Only when we were ten," Ben answered. "Now we're best friends."

"Cool," Broseph remarked. "So, does the Madcap know any more awesome waves heading our…"

"There you are!"

Broseph's question was cut off as Bummer sprinted onto the beach. "Mr….Mr. Stevens!" he panted, trying to catch his breath. "I am…I am _so_ sorry about the mix-up, earlier today! If you…you would just give us…another chance…"

"Relax, bro; it's all good," Stan said. "Already thought up my review; you can count on Surfer's Paradise hanging 10 out of 10."

Bummer's face lit up. "10 out of…_10 OUT OF 10?_" he all but squealed. "_Oh, thank you! THANK YOU!_" He dashed off, clicking his heels as he ran. "Promotion, here I come!"

As they watched him go, Stan arched an eyebrow. "Please tell me I wasn't like that, earlier."

"Okay, we _won't_ tell you," Ben chuckled.

"Just be glad you didn't see him dancing," Fin said with a shudder.

Reef nodded. "I can still see that every time I close my eyes…"

"Who wants chili?"

Max's voice drew their gazes towards the Rustbucket, as Ben's grandfather emerged with a plate laden with bowls. "It's finally cool enough to serve!" he added, handing a bowl to each of them. "Dig in!"

Looking into her bowl, Lo arched an eyebrow at the sparse helping. "Uh, skimping much?"

Max grinned. "Trust me, Lauren – that's _more_ than enough."

Fin shrugged. "Hey, I'll try anything once!" With that, she dug in. "_Wow!_ Awesome recipe, Madcap!"

Max looked a little nervous. "Now, don't eat too much at once…"

"Why, Grandpa? It's not even hot!" Ben remarked between mouthfuls. "I thought this was supposed to be a Tex-Mex Melt…"

But he stopped in mid-sentence, his eyes going wide as his face went magma-red, his tastebuds instantly going _molten._ "_HOLY!_"

Fin was clutching her throat, her face equally red. "_OH, DEAR GOD!_"

Tears were actually coming from Reef's eyes. "_MOMMY!_"

Emma was as red as her hair. "_Hot, hot, HOT!_"

Broseph didn't speak; he just dropped his bowl and ran for the ocean, gulping down as much seawater as he could, trying to dull the heat.

Lo's eyes were watering. "_Make it stop, make it stop, MAKE IT STOP!_"

Only Stan, who had taken only a small spoonful, was unaffected; he just shook his head. "_Noobs._"

After several minutes, the six of them had stopped gagging. "Well, I'm guessing that you won't want any more chili," Max said, before brightening, "so why don't I whip up a batch of my famous Marshmallow Surprise?"

As Max walked back into the Rustbucket, Ben paled. "Did...he say…his _famous_ Marshmallow Surprise?"

Lo felt her blood run cold. "Yeah…"

"_RUN!_"

This time, the other groms took Ben's warning seriously; the six of them quickly leapt up, and ran off, as fast as they possibly could, not bothering to take the same route back to the staff-house.

After several minutes, Ben and Lo stopped outside the hotel lobby, catching their breath. "Okay, your grandpa might be a genius on a surfboard," Lo gasped, "but he's some kind of _maniac_ in the kitchen! He should _not_ be allowed around cooking utensils!"

Ben nodded, before he chuckled. "On the plus side, I think his recipe book might just have military applications!"

At that, Lo tried to suppress a smile…and failed miserably, bursting out in laughter. "Yeah, probably!"

Ben's smile became a bit strained. "So, you…you did it," he said. "Stan's giving the hotel 10 out of 10."

Lo glanced down. "Yeah," she answered. "Daddy's probably impressed!"

Ben tried to smile. "That's great!" he managed. "You'll…probably be back in the penthouse before tomorrow!"

Lo nodded. "Guess so!" she agreed…although it suddenly didn't seem like such a victory, anymore, but she had no idea _why…_

Happening to look up, Lo brightened as she saw a familiar figure walking out of the lobby. "Heidi!" she called, rushing over.

Seeing her approach, Heidi was strangely subdued, her smile somewhat guilty. "Oh…hey, Lo."

Lo sighed; she most likely had that coming. "Listen, Heidi, I am so sorry I snapped at you like that; we were having a _major_ crisis," she said, before beaming, "but it's over now! Plus, the hotel's getting a good review, so Daddy might let me come home!"

Heidi still kept her distance. "That's…great."

Ben looked uneasy at Heidi's response, but Lo didn't catch it. "Anyway, since I'll probably be back home tomorrow, I can totally go to that sale with you!" she chirped. "Hey! Maybe I can ask Daddy to tell Bummer to give Emma and Fin the day off so they can come, too!"

At that, Heidi sighed. "Lo, I…don't think I can do that."

Lo froze, her chestnut eyebrows drooping. "But…Heidi, we _always_ go to that sale!" she exclaimed. "Did something happen that you can't…"

"No, Lo; _I'm_ still going," Heidi said, "just…not with you."

Lo's mouth dropped open. "W-Wha..?"

Heidi looked stricken. "It's nothing personal," she said helplessly. "It's just…you're one of those…surf-nuts now, you know? You know how it works."

Lo's lip started to quiver. "But…b-but…w-we're _BFFs…_"

"Well, yeah, we _were,_" Heidi said, gesturing towards the beach, "but now you're…well, you're one of _them._" She shrugged. "So…_bye!_"

And with that, she walked off, leaving a stammering Lo behind.

Watching her go, Ben's eyes narrowed. "Brother, with friends like _her_, who needs enemies?"

Lo was still in shock. "I…I can't believe she did that," she whimpered, her eyes welling with tears.

Ben's frown faded instantly, as his concerned emerald gaze fell on her. "Lo…"

"W-We were _BFFs!_ W-We were in _kindergarten_ together! W-We ate _p-paste_ together!" Lo cried, as tears freely fell down her cheeks. "H-How could…h-h-how c-could she _d-do_ that to me?"

Quickly, Ben's hands moved to her quivering shoulders, steadying her before she fell over. "Because she's a _lousy_ BFF, that's why," Ben soothed. "You didn't do _anything_ wrong, Lo; Heidi's nothing but a fair-weather friend, and they don't come much worse than that." He chuckled. "Besides, who needs her, right? You've got _loads_ more friends than her."

Lo's first instinct was to agree, to state that she was the most popular girl in her school…but then she remembered that was _before_ this summer…and that all her old friends were just like Heidi.

If her BFF had dumped her, the others would too.

They were all like Heidi.

She didn't have a single real friend at school…

At that notion, Lo rapidly began to hyperventilate. "I…I don't…" she gasped, her knees buckling. "I've never…I haven't ever had…I don't…"

"Lo, _breathe!_" Ben cried. Quickly, he guided her to a nearby bench, sitting her down next to him, staring right into her face. "Lo, _look_ at me," he instructed. "Just breathe in…and then out. In…and then out. In…and then out."

Once again, Lo found herself looking into those piercingly deep emerald pools, as his gently commanding voice overrode her hysteria; following his instructions, she managed to slow her breathing back down to normal, though it didn't stop her tears. "All…all my old friends…they're just like her!" she sniffled. "She…they just were friends with me because…because I was rich…I've never…I've never had any _real_ friends…"

Keeping one hand on her shoulder to steady her, Ben gently moved his other hand to her face, brushing a few tears away from her hurt amethyst gems with his fingertip. "You do now," he corrected. "You've got a _bunch_ of real friends now, Lo: Emma, Fin, Reef, Broseph…and me. We're _not_ gonna leave you hanging like Heidi did."

Lo sniffled, her tears starting to slow. "R-Really?"

"_Count_ on it."

Normally, Lo would have been _seriously_ sceptical about that after getting dumped by a BFF…but somehow, she believed him…

…because sitting there, gazing into his green eyes, with his hands on her shoulders, Lo had _never_ felt so safe.

Once her sobs had subsided, Ben slowly helped her to her feet. "Look, you've had a tough day, and you could probably use some shut-eye," he said. "Here, I'll walk you to the staff-house."

Lo sniffled. "Okay." With that, they walked off, with Ben keeping one cautionary arm around her shoulders.

After several minutes, they reached the staff house. "So, are you okay now?" Ben asked.

Lo sniffled a little. "I will be." She started to head inside, but paused to turn back to Ben, managing a weak smile. "Thank you."

Ben grinned. "Anytime." Smiling back, Lo quickly headed inside, grateful to the darkness of the night for hiding her blush, before heading up to her room.

Heading into her room, she found Emma and Fin already there, both in their PJs. "Lo?" Emma asked, her expression growing concerned as she saw her. "What happened?"

Lo felt her sniffles return. "My…my BFF _ditched_ me!"

Emma was horrified. "Oh, sweetie, I'm so _sorry!_" she soothed, quickly moving to hug her.

Lo erupted into wails. "W-We were friends since _kindergarten,_ and she just…she just _dropped_ me!"

Fin looked as distraught as Emma did. "You want me to go kick her butt, tomorrow?"

Lo sniffled, managing to reign in her crying. "No, but thanks anyway."

Emma smiled gently. "Do you want to talk about it?"

Lo nodded. "I…I probably should have known she might do this," she murmured. "I think even Mr. Tennyson could see it coming, after he talked to me."

"Hey, never doubt the wisdom of a kahuna," Fin agreed.

"You know what we need, right now? _Chocolate!_" Emma declared. "I'm pretty sure I saw chocolate cake on the dessert menu, tonight, and there should be some leftover! Give me a couple minutes, and I'll go grab some!"

Lo quickly raised her hands. "Emma, you don't have to…"

"Hey, _my_ BFF needs comfort-food!" Emma exclaimed, smiling. "Then we can all chow down and complain about boys!"

Fin chuckled. "Yeah, Lo! Griping about States always seems to make you feel better!"

Lo looked down, trying to hide the blush she _hoped_ wasn't obvious. "Actually, could we just…lay off Ben, a little?"

Emma's smile started to grow. "_Why?_"

"Nothing major," Lo said. "It's just…when Heidi ditched me, he was there, and…"

Emma squealed. "…and he _comforted you_, didn't he?"

Lo felt her face start to burn. "He might've…talked me down, a little."

Emma's hands were clasped. "First he _saves_ you from Kelly, then an explosion, and now he comforts you when you're crying? Why haven't you _jumped_ him yet?"

"_Emma!_ It's not like that!"

Fin snorted. "Oh, yeah? Then why are you blushing?"

"I'm _not!_"

Emma laughed. "Oh, you _so_ are!"

Fin soon followed. "Don't even try to deny it, Ridgemount! You want him!"

Lo quickly grabbed a pillow. "Oh…go smooch with Reef!" she laughed, before letting it fly, clobbering Fin with it.

Fin kept laughing, sending a pillow her way in return. "Are you kidding me? He's an even bigger _dinosaur_ than that thing we saw!"

The mention of their encounter sobered her expression fast. "Lo, Emma, I am _so_ sorry I didn't believe you. You were right; something weird _is_ going on around Sunset Beach."

"I know, right?" Lo agreed. "Where are all these weird monsters coming from?"

"Hey, it could be worse!" Emma spoke up. "That red thing we saw on TV was actually stopping those crooks, remember? Plus, that moth scared off those kooks, and that dinosaur actually _saved_ me!"

"Maybe, but that still doesn't explain where they came from!" Fin declared. "I don't know about you two, but I'm gonna get to the bottom of it; every minute I'm not surfing or stuck at work, I'm figuring out what's going on, here!"

Emma looked nervous. "Okay, how'd we get off-topic?" she asked. "Weren't we talking about something else?"

"Sure we were!" Fin said, grinning. "You were about to get us that cake, and Lo was about to admit she wants Ben."

"Shut _up!_" Lo squealed, clobbering Fin with a pillow, earning laughs from her two roommates.

She had to admit, Ben was definitely an awesome guy, but still, those two were way off-base; she didn't like him…

…did she?

XXXXXXXX

_Surfer's Paradise, July 13_

"Wow. Bummer actually skipped the morning yell-fest and cancelled all our strikes; he _must_ be in a good mood, bros."

As he, Reef, and Broseph headed to punch-in, in their uniforms, Ben nodded. "Guess we have El Duderino to thank for that one, too," he agreed. "Shame it only comes around every 20 years."

Reef shrugged. "Hey, I know what _I'll_ be doin', 20 years from now, dude!"

Broseph nodded. "Already started counting the days, bros."

Reef grinned as he turned to Ben. "Saw you walkin' Lo to the staff house, last night, States; nice!"

Ben scratched his head, feeling his face burn. "What? No!" he protested. "Lo was just upset 'cause her friend ditched her and she needed a shoulder to cry on…"

Broseph chuckled. "…and fortunately, you had two, right bro?"

"_Ah!_ You hook 'em with Chivalry, and then reel 'em in with Sympathy, huh? Nice!" Reef approved. "So, what's next? I wouldn't be against scoring a rich hottie, sometime soon…"

Ben's eyes narrowed. "Don't _talk_ about her like that!" he snapped. "_God,_ Reef, do you listen to some of the stuff that comes out of that claptrap of yours? If you want to even stand a _remote_ chance of getting Fin to like you, invest in a _filter!_"

Broseph nodded. "Seriously, bro; if I ever talked like that, my Mama would either cry, or wash out my mouth with soap. Not cool."

"Pfft! Whatever," Reef grumbled, as he punched in. "Catch you later, dudes."

As Reef headed off, Broseph grinned, glancing towards Ben. "No kidding though, bro: you like Lo, don't you?"

Ben smiled sheepishly. "You know what? I…I'm not sure," he said. "Maybe."

"Cool."

Once they had punched in, Broseph headed off to help a guest check in, while Ben headed to the DR to pick up a room-service order. "Hey, Lo, I'm here to pick up Room 1108's order; is it ready?"

Amazingly, Lo greeted him with a faint smile. "Not quite; the chef should have it done in a few minutes."

Ben chuckled. "No insults? Are you _sure_ you're okay?" he quipped.

Laughing, Lo stuck out her tongue. "Oh, bite me!" she teased back, before walking off.

"Well, aren't you the lady-killer!"

Grinning, Ben turned towards his grandpa. "It's not like that, Grandpa; we're just friends…I think."

Max chuckled. "Of course." He sighed. "Well, I suppose it's time for this old tumbleweed to blow on out of here."

Ben's smile faded. "You're leaving?"

Max nodded. "I think it's for the best," he answered. "I just wanted to check up on you."

Ben blinked. "Why? I can handle myself fine, Grandpa; besides, it's not as if there's anything out to get me, is there?" Spotting Max's flinch, his eyes narrowed warily. "_Is_ there, Grandpa?"

Sighing, Max led him closer to the corner, out of earshot. "Ben…there was another reason I wanted you to work here," he confessed. "We screwed up."

"_We?_"

"The Plumbers," Max said. "During that whole hullabaloo with the Highbreed, we somehow lost track of the Forever Knights; they've gone dark...and you know how they've sworn out a vendetta on you since you helped that dragon escape."

Ben's eyes went wide. "Am I…am I in Plumber…_witness protection?_"

Max shook his head. "It's only temporary; we just needed a few months to get a fix on them, again," he answered. "I did want you to start saving for university, and to get you out of that funk; this was just us getting two birds with one stone." His expression saddened. "I'm sorry I had to lie to you, Benjamin, but…"

Ben sighed. "I get it, Grandpa; really, I do," he answered. "I just would've appreciated a little heads-up."

Max arched an eyebrow. "You really would have wanted to know there was an entire secret society of sword-wielding lunatics out to get you?"

Ben gulped. "Point taken, but at least now I know to keep an eye out."

"I suppose that's something." Max smiled, as he gave his grandson a hug. "You take care now, Ben, and please _try_ to keep your head down?"

"I will, Grandpa."

As Max turned to go, he glanced over his shoulder one last time. "Oh, but one more thing," he said, grinning. "If Lauren's anything like her mother, she'll be a handful and a half, but I think she'll be good for you!"

Ben groaned. "_Grandpa!_"

Max laughed. "I'm just saying!" With that, he headed out, while Ben headed off to pick up the room-service order, before heading out the side door.

Unbeknownst to him, that was a big mistake…for had he left via the main entrance, he might have seen the tall, well-built man with long dark hair in a black business suit that had just checked in.

As the new guest arrived, Broseph started gathering his luggage. "You a surfer, bro?"

The man scowled, his voice carrying a faint, cultured British accent. "No."

"Hey, that's okay, dude; Surfer's Paradise is awesome even if you're not hittin' the waves," Broseph continued. "Here with the fam, or just passin' through?"

The man sighed. "I am here on business; once it is concluded, I shall be on my way." With that, he strode off, absently reached down to scratch his wrist.

The wrist bearing the smallest tattoo.

The wrist bearing the smallest tattoo of an _infinity symbol._

XXXXXXXX

_**Omnitrix Database**_

_**File-name:**__ Chromastone_

_**Species-name:**__ Crystalsapien_

_**Home planet:**__ Morotesi_

_**Abilities:**__ Subject is composed of super-high-density silicon compounds, capable of absorbing impacts in excess of 100,000 psi without structural damage. Highly crystalline nature of subject's silicon-based biology refracts energy-beams of any known type, including weapons-grade, thus allowing them to pass through with no damage incurred. Subject may also absorb any kind of energy and redirect it, as both focused beams and unfocused concussive blasts. Subject is capable of directly ingesting silicon compounds thought indigestible by sentients, but overall its metabolism is largely unknown, though most hypotheses center around absorption of ambient energy. Due to its highly dense epidermal layer and non-protein-based metabolism, Crystalsapiens have no upper age limit, and are largely considered to be immortal._

_**Description:**__ Evolved from a life-form with silicon atoms as its nexus, the Crystalsapien is the sole sentient species of the planet Morotesi. Initially a nomadic, solitary species, Crystalsapiens rapidly banded together to form a more cohesive society. After discovering their ability to harness and redirect energy through their crystalline bodies, the Crystalsapiens soon became the first species ever to attempt interstellar travel without the use of any vehicles, simply by using their stored energy to produce escape-velocity thrust. This prompted the exodus of a large number of Crystalsapiens into outer space, though the vast majority remained on Morotesi._

_Today, Crystalsapiens have gained renown as skilled outer-space explorers and cartographers, due to the knowledge of interstellar geography that many Crystalsapiens gained in their travels. Additionally, Crystalsapiens are often employed by power-plants, as both emergency workers in highly dangerous reactor-cores, and as energy-processors, converting an unusable form of energy into usable energy._

_**File-name:**__ Humongousaur_

_**Species-name:**__ Vaxasaurian_

_**Home planet:**__ Terradino_

_**Abilities:**__ Subject is capable of strength well in excess of standard norms, including Highbreed-level strength; subject's strength-level approaches that of even the Toku'star. Subject possesses both a highly dense, scaled epidermis and a highly durable endoskeleton, thus rendering it impervious to most known injuries. In addition, subject possesses the ability to spontaneously increase the size of its skeletal, epidermal, and muscular systems, granting proportional increases in strength. Initially, this ability was thought to be possible by means of dimensional displacement, but recent studies have shown that the subject possesses a collapsible skeleton, capable of extending and retracting as the situation requires. This ability is complemented by subject's ability to store and rapidly mobilize dietary protein; excess protein is stored as a highly compacted polypeptide in body tissue analogous to human adipose tissue. During a size-increase, protein synthesis is hyper-stimulated, prompting breakdown of the polypeptide, freeing amino acids for muscle assembly. During a size-decrease, excess muscle is rapidly broken down for energy, which is then used to retract the skeleton. Following each paired size-increase and decrease, subject must consume several times its own weight to replenish amino acid reserves._

_**Description:**__ Remarkably similar in conditions to prehistoric Earth, it was no surprise that the planet Terradino gave rise to the Vaxasaurian species. Despite their imposing size, Vaxasaurians, though omnivorous in capability, are typically herbivores, capable of comsuming over 100 pounds of foliage in one sitting. Beginning life as solitary creatures, Vaxasaurians soon learned to travel in herds, which gradually paved the way for the development of tribal society. Though the evolution of size-increase helped ward off the few predators bold enough – or stupid enough – to attack a herd of Vaxasaurians, this ability was most likely more advantageous in mating, with female preferences falling to males capable of growing the largest, and vice-versa._

_In modern times, Vaxasaurian society is largely unchanged; due to their impressive bulk and even more impressive appetites, very few Vaxasaurians ever venture off of Terradino. This also led to the inevitable development of agriculture; today, almost all Vaxasaurians are farmers and agriculturalists by trade, to ensure that their food-supply never runs out._

XXXXXXXX


	6. Rippin' It Up

CHAPTER SIX: RIPPIN' IT UP

_The Office, July 15, 2010_

As the morning sun started to peek over the horizon, turning the clouds pink over an orange sky, the only sound breaking the tranquil silence was the sound of waves lapping against the beach…

"_Wooooohooooo!_"

Ben's shout quickly shattered the silence as he raced out into the surf, his board at the ready, with Reef, Broseph, Ripper, and Lance close behind. Popping up, Ben glided into the approaching wave, riding along the edge of the whitecap, before cutting back, zipping back down the wave, and then twisting again, darting into calm waters before it broke. Reef caught the next one, executing an aerial 360 as he cleared the whitecap, flying behind the wave, just as Broseph pulled off a sweet side-grab in midair, before touching down. Ripper and Lance were up after that; racing right up to the whitecap, Ripper all but flew into the air, performing a midair, one-handed handstand before landing perfectly, while Lance opted for a cutback along the crest of the wave, zooming back and forth along the water before darting clear.

As the five of them regrouped in the shallows, Ripper laughed. "Sweet session, mates!" he declared, before nodding to Ben. "I'll admit I was sceptical, but you just might have the blood of the Madcap in you, after all!"

Reef grinned. "Taught him everything he knows!"

Ben rolled his eyes. "_Riiiiiiight._"

"Dude, I still can't believe he's your grandpa," Lance said. "I mean, seriously, what are the odds?"

Ripper nodded. "_I_ still can't believe he was here and we missed it! Ty was practically kickin' himself, all day yesterday!"

Ben shrugged. "Trust me, man; stranger things have happened."

"Yeah, like getting chased by a creepy little white midget through the woods!" Reef agreed. "I'm telling you, it's out there!"

Ripper snorted. "Sure, mate. We believe you."

Broseph grinned. "So, you make any progress with Lo, bro?"

Ben groaned. "Not this again…"

Ripper arched an eyebrow. "This something we should hear about, mate?"

Broseph shrugged. "Nothing major, bro; just that Ben's warm for Lo, is all."

Gulping, Ben raised his hands. "Look, all I'm saying is that maybe – _maybe_ – I might…kinda like her."

Ripper chuckled. "Oh, is that all?"

Ben's expression went flat. "Whaddya mean "Is that all"?"

"Well, States, we always kinda had a notion," Ripper said. "After all, most blokes don't risk getting canned for just any Sheila."

Lance gulped. "Oh, boy; not sure if Ty's gonna be happy to hear about this…"

Ben paled. "Look, there's nothing _to_ tell, okay?" he exclaimed. "A couple days ago, I thought that maybe she might feel the same, but after yesterday, I'm not so sure."

Broseph arched an eyebrow. "What happened?"

"I don't know; I just came in to pick up an order like normal, and she nearly took my head off!"

Reef snorted. "Chicks are always spazzing out about something, dude; you can't take that at face-value."

Lance nodded. "He's kinda got a point, bro; if you like her, man up and make a move."

Ripper grinned. "_Then_ we can tell Ty."

Ben sighed. "So I can either get killed by Lo, or by her brother. Thanks, guys."

"Anytime, mate."

As the sun started rising higher, Broseph looked worried. "It's gettin' kinda close to punch-in, dudes; should we pack it in?"

"One more wave!" Ripper declared, hopping off his red long-board. "I say we make it a good one! Everybody on!" Following his lead, the five of them crowded onto the board, paddling into the wave, before popping up one-by-one.

As the wave swelled, the five surfers balanced on the board as one, managing to stay afloat, letting the wave push them up to the whitecap, before they leapt off, cannonballing into the ocean, letting the wave rush by overhead.

Popping back up to the surface, Ben grinned. "That was awesome!"

Surfacing a few feet away, his afro automatically puffing back out, Broseph nodded. "Totally worth getting a strike over, dudes!"

"Maybe," Lance agreed, "but I'd rather not get one at all, so we'd better move it!" Quickly grabbing their boards, the five of them ran out of the surf, racing towards the staff-house.

XXXXXXXX

_Staff House_

"You're wearing your bikini to work?"

As she and Emma followed Fin onto the porch, Lo arched an eyebrow at her friend's choice of outfits; whereas she and Emma were in their usual clothes, Fin had opted for her bikini. "I'm just gonna wear it under my uniform!" Fin defended. "I'm out of clean underwear!"

By then, Johnny, in his uniform, had walked onto the porch. "Isn't there some miracle invention that can fix that?" he joked. "I think it's called a washing-machine!"

Grinning, Fin stuck out her tongue at him. "Yeah, but I _hate_ doing laundry!" she teased back. "I've officially decided: from now on, I'm going to spend the rest of my life in my bikini!"

Emma's eyes went wide. "_Eeeww!_"

"Seriously, Fin! That's kinda gross!" Lo agreed.

"What? It gets clean in the ocean!"

By then, Reef, Ben, and Broseph had walked up to the porch, still damp from their surf-session. Shaking his head like a dog to dry off, Reef grinned smugly. "Morning, ugly."

Fin frowned. "Ever hear of a towel?"

Ben chuckled. "We're leaning towards the theory that he was raised by huskies." At that, Lo quickly covered her mouth, hiding her giggle.

Smirking, Fin unrolled the surf-mag she'd had in her hand, holding it in front of Reef's face. "Hey Chowderhead, get a load of this! My pal Jessica just took 1st Place in the East Coast Surf Championship, last week! She totally _thrashed_ every single competitor, and she was the only girl who entered! Read it and _weep!_"

Skimming over the article, Reef rolled his eyes. "Pfft! The _East_ Coast Surf Championship?" he scoffed. "Oh, _please!_ More like Kooks, Anonymous!" He smirked. "Which pretty much makes it the only kind of surf competition a betty could win."

As Fin's expression turned _murderous_, Ben gulped. "Hey, Reef, I think Bummer's calling you!" he interrupted. "Broseph, don't you hear Bummer calling him?"

"Uh…yeah, bro!" Broseph agreed, catching on. "Dude sounds _ticked!_ Better get moving!" With that, he turned Reef around, and started pushing him towards the hotel.

As Broseph moved Reef clear, Ben took a deep breath, before turning to face Fin's fury. "This probably won't help, but…the opinions of one member of this gender do not reflect those of the gender as a whole."

Miraculously, Fin started to calm down. "Well, at least _one_ of you isn't a brainless pig."

Ben breathed a relieved sigh. "So, what were you all talking about?"

Johnny chuckled. "Fin's spending the rest of her life in her bikini."

Ben blinked. "Seriously?"

"It beats doing laundry."

Ben arched an eyebrow. "You realize that nobody's _ever_ going to get in the same swimming pool as you ever _again,_ right?"

Laughing, Fin gave him a playful shove. "Shut up!" she teased. "So, were the waves any good?"

"Oh, yeah."

"In that case, I think I might try to grab a quick sesh before punch-in!" Fin said. "What time do you have on that watch?"

Ben's hand quickly shot behind his back. "Uh…actually, I kinda need to change the battery on this thing," he answered, "but I think that you just _might_ be able to make one session; it'll be risky, though…"

"Good enough for me!" Fin declared, turning to head back and grab her board. "Hey, we still on for that sesh after first shift?"

Ben paused. "Uh…"

"Great! See you then!" With that, Fin darted inside, and then dashed back out, her board under her arm.

Lo lightly frowned at the exchange.

With just the three of them now, Ben smiled sheepishly. "I…guess we'd better get ready for punch-in, huh?"

Lo's expression mirrored his. "Uh…yeah."

Ben scratched the back of his head. "So…see you then!"

"R-Right!"

As Ben headed into the staff-house, Emma fixed Lo with an incredulous eye. "Okay, what was _that?_"

Lo blinked. "What?"

"You just had a chance to make nice with Ben after yelling at him, yesterday, and you missed it!" Emma cried. "What's going on?"

"Emma, I never _said_ I liked Ben!" Lo protested, before her tone turned somewhat bitter. "Besides, he's probably hung up on Fin, now; you saw how much time they spent together, yesterday!"

"Yeah, _surfing!_" Emma said. "You heard what she and Reef said while Mr. Tennyson was here! She and Reef are probably trying to out-teach each other so Ben can get his grandpa to teach one of them the Zero-G!" She started to smile. "Wait…is _that_ why you snapped at him, yesterday?"

Lo sighed. "That, and the fact that Daddy still isn't letting me back in the penthouse, even though he _was_ impressed by Mr. Stevens' review!" she complained. "I mean, what do I have to _do_, here? Tattoo an ad on my freaking _back?_"

Unfortunately, Emma had only heard the first part, judging by her squeal. "I _knew_ it! You _do_ like him!"

Lo closed her eyes. "_Maybe,_" she relented. "_Maybe_ I like him, okay?"

Emma squeaked again. "Are you going to ask him out?"

Lo smirked. "News flash, Emma; Lauren Ridgemount does not chase boys!" she declared. "Lauren Ridgemount gets boys to chase _her!_"

Emma was sceptical. "Okay…"

Lo sighed. "First things first: I need to find some other way to impress Daddy…which I can't do if Bummer fires me! Come on!" With that, she and Emma hurried towards the hotel, before Bummer got angry.

Or before he got angrier than normal, at least.

XXXXXXXX

_Surfer's Paradise Hotel_

Once he'd stashed his board and donned his uniform, Ben had barely enough time to sprint to the locker room. As he dashed in, he saw that everyone else was already there…including Bummer, his scowl at the ready. "So glad you could join us, Mr. Tennyson!"

Ben grinned sheepishly. "Sorry about that, sir."

Mercifully, Bummer didn't press the issue. "I have here your most recent Customer Satisfaction Surveys," he said, holding out a stack of papers. "Not bad, people, but I'm not doing cartwheels!" He held out the top two. "Wipeout, Broseph: 6 out of 10!" His eyes narrowed. "Mind yourselves: drop any lower, and you're looking at a strike!"

Wipeout's fin drooped. "Aw, man…"

Broseph nodded as he took the paper. "Major harshage, bro."

"Mackenzie: 7 out of 10!" Bummer read, handing out the next survey.

Emma managed a faint smile. "Hey, at least I'm getting better!"

Bummer's scowl deepened. "Tennyson: 8 out of 10!"

Ben grinned as he took the form. "Hey, I'll take it!"

"Ridgemount, McCloud: 9 out of 10!"

Lo almost jumped for joy. "_YES!_"

Fin was equally ecstatic. "_Ha!_" she declared, shoving her survey in Reef's face. "In your face, kook!"

Glancing at the last survey, Bummer groaned. "This is probably one of the most painful moments of my entire career," he muttered. "Reef…10 out of 10."

Fin paled. "_WHAT?_"

"_YES!_ In _your_ face, betty!" Reef crowed.

Ben buried his head in his hands. "We can't take him anywhere…"

"Okay, that's enough, slackers!" Bummer barked. "Those of you who did passably well, keep it up! Those that didn't had better fix it, fast!" He turned to go. "Get to work!"

As Bummer headed off, Reef and Fin did the same, arguing all the way. "Dude, those two gotta get a hobby," Broseph murmured.

Emma giggled. "Or just ask each other out!" she exclaimed, before glancing to Lo. "I bet your Dad'll be impressed with that customer review!"

Lo looked thoughtful. "Hmm…I don't know," she said. "If a good hotel-review wasn't enough, I don't think this'll do it either. I'm gonna have to do something to back this up."

"Got anything in mind?" Ben asked.

Lo shrugged prettily, as a smile crossed her shell-pink lips. "I'll let you know." With that, she and Emma headed off.

Seeing him watch Lo leave, Broseph chuckled. "You gonna take Ripper's advice, bro?"

Ben sighed. "I dunno…"

"Look, dude; obviously she doesn't hate you, right?" Broseph asked. "'Cause that did _not_ look like a betty that had it in for you."

"Look, I'll…I'll think about it, okay?"

Broseph shrugged. "If you say so, bro." With that, they headed off.

XXXXXXXX

"You'll do it? Great! See you in an hour!"

After hanging up on her cell-phone, Lo let out a squeal of delight. "_Yes!_ If _this_ doesn't get me back in the penthouse, _nothing_ will!"

"I take it your little plan worked?" Emma asked, as she walked by with a tray on each hand.

Lo was still beaming. "And _then_ some! Daddy _has_ to be thrilled to hear this!"

"Great!" Emma laughed. "Now, would you mind helping me serve our brunch customers?"

Peeking out the kitchen door, Lo spotted only a handful of guests there; nothing major. "Can you give me a few minutes?" she asked. "I want to break the news to Daddy!"

Emma looked a little nervous. "Kelly gets back from her break in five minutes," she said. "You're gonna have to _really_ motor!"

"I will! Thanks!" Lo chirped, before she sprinted out of the side-entrance, racing towards the lobby, reaching the front desk in seconds. "Johnny, I need to find Daddy!"

Johnny's hands were already blurring over the computer. "He and your mom are out on the golf-course; things are kinda slow, so I sent Ben to caddy for them…"

"Great! Thanks!" Lo was already in motion, racing towards the golf-green as fast as she could. In about a minute flat, she reached the course, where her parents – with her father in golf-shorts and a white polo-shirt, exposing his old Army Ranger tattoo on his right arm, and her mother in skintight black capris and a white tank-top – were golfing, while Ben stood by with the clubs.

Seeing her daughter approach, Gloria beamed. "Lo! Guess what?" she exclaimed. "I got a booger!"

As both Ben and Lo forced down a laugh, James chuckled guiltily. "_Bogey,_ honey. It's called a _bogey._"

Gloria blushed. "Right!" Holding up her club, she gushed, "And look: _pink club covers!_"

Lo smiled weakly. "Cute, Mom."

James' expression turned stern. "Shouldn't you be at work, Lauren?"

"I know, I know, but you're not gonna be mad!" Lo said, beaming. "Guess who just booked the Vintage Surfboard Tour?"

James' eyes went wide, as his club fell out of his hand. "_R-Really?_" he exclaimed. "That's one of the most prestigious events in the entire surfing community!"

"I know!" Lo agreed. "I just looked up the tour, asked where they were heading next, and said we'd pay 30 percent _more_ than whatever those guys were!"

James laughed. "Way to show some initiative, honey!"

"Oh, but it gets _better!_" Lo exclaimed. "Guess who I _swiped_ them from?" She let out a squeal. "_Captain Ron!_"

"_HOT DOG!_" James whooped. "A world-class event _and_ we're sticking it to Old Stanhope? I am _really_ proud of you, sweetheart!"

Gloria beamed. "Now, see? Didn't I _tell_ you she could impress you if she had the chance?"

James nodded. "To be honest, sweetie, I was a little worried about taking this afternoon off to train, but not anymore!"

Gloria's smile turned dreamy. "Music to my _ears!_"

Ben blinked. "Train, sir?"

"For the Annual Highland Games!" James declared. "For the past 10 years, I've taken first in the Farmer's Walk and the Caber Toss, and I'm not about to let my streak break!"

Lo nodded. "Daddy takes the Games _way_ seriously; in the 3-4 months leading up to them, he trains in the events he's competing in, in full traditional wear."

Gloria sighed. "Best months of my _life!_" she swooned. "Seeing my husband all bare-chested and manly, those muscles sweat-drenched, with nothing but a kilt…" She waved her hand in front of her face, before fixing her husband with a feline gaze. "I hope you're not _too_ worn-out, this evening, James."

Lo felt her stomach churn. '_Oh, God…_'

James grinned back at her. "Just as long as you let me get in the _door_ this time, Gloria; I don't think the kitchen table can take another round of us…"

"_EEEWW!_" Lo shrieked. "_God,_ you two! I have to handle _food_, in a few minutes!"

Ben looked just as nauseous as she did. "Mr. and Mrs. R, I think you just passed the "Too-Much-Information" line, a few miles back."

Gloria covered her mouth with her hand, suppressing a giggle. "Sorry!"

Picking up his club, James turned to go. "Well, I'll let Andrew know you're handling the tour, Lauren; he'll give you the afternoon to do it!" he said. "Keep up the excellent work!" With that, he and his wife headed to the next hole.

Lo managed to calm herself. "Okay, I _so_ could've done without hearing…_that,_" she said, brightening, "but Daddy's _proud_ of me! I'm _so_ getting back in the penthouse!"

Ben chuckled. "So that's what you were working on?" he asked. "Nice!" His expression turned nervous. "Hey Lo, I was just wondering…"

Glancing at her watch, Lo froze. "Oh, God! _Kelly!_" she cried. "She's going to _kill_ me!" She gazed forlornly at Ben. "Can this wait?"

Ben smiled sadly. "Sure."

"Thanks!" With that, Lo sprinted off, back to the DR, while a saddened Ben got back to his caddying.

XXXXXXXX

"Stupid, stupid, _stupid!_"

As he and Broseph headed out of the lobby, Ben didn't let up on himself. "I had the _perfect_ chance to ask her out – she was right there, all excited about booking this tour – and I _choked!_"

Broseph looked sympathetic. "Hey, not saying I blame you, bro," he offered. "You said Mr. R had a _Ranger_ tat?" He shuddered. "_Man_, those guys are scary hardcore; don't think it's _Ty_ you gotta be worried about, bro."

"Not helping, Broseph."

Emerging from the lobby, Ben saw Lo and Emma, both in their usual clothes, standing by a truck that had backed up to the hotel. As the two of them walked over, a young man, around their age, tall, well-built, and tanned, with curly dark hair, clad in light beige slacks and a dark olive, sleeveless t-shirt, emerged from the truck. "Hey, somebody order some vintage surfboards?" he asked. "I'm Kai, by the way."

Lo smiled. "I'm Lo; I'm the one that booked the tour," she answered. "So…who unloads the boards?"

Kai chuckled. "Usually, that's handled by the social director…which I'm guessing is you."

Lo giggled. "Right!" She glanced to the others. "Guys? Want to handle some classic surfboards?"

Emma squealed. "I'm _in!_"

"Likewise, bra!" Broseph exclaimed.

Kai laughed. "The sign of a true surfer!" he remarked. Glancing to Lo, he added, "So, while they're unloading, you want to hang by the pool?"

Ben felt his heart stop, his blood turning to ice in his veins.

Lo shrugged idly. "Ask me again, later," she answered. "Right now, I have to let the Manager know the boards are here."

"Hey, that's cool," Kai said. "See you later, then."

As Lo headed back into the hotel, while Kai headed towards the pool, Ben shuffled along after Broseph and Emma as they all but scampered into the truck. "Oh my _gosh!_" Emma exclaimed. "_Look_ at some of these boards! There's the Mark Po Longboard…the Noah Beachie Oak-Board…the Eddie Haiku Board…practically _every_ pro surfer's board from the last 20 years is…"

Her voice trailed off as she spotted the glass-encased board all the way in the back: the board itself was wooden, and carved with totemic images directly into the board.

Broseph's eyes went wide. "It's…it's the _Duke Hanale Vintage Balsam Board!_" he exclaimed. "This…this board carried one of the greatest surfers of our time, second only to the Madcap himself!"

Emma let out another squeal. "I take back _EVERYTHING_ bad I said about this place! I _LOVE_ this job!"

"Yeah," Ben muttered, his voice empty. "It's great."

Their expressions dumbfounded, Emma and Broseph looked towards him. "Dude…maybe you didn't hear us," Broseph said. "We are _handling_ the boards of some of the greatest surfers _ever…_"

Spotting his expression, Emma understood. "You think Lo was flirting with Kai, don't you?"

Ben snorted. "_Wasn't_ she?"

Now Broseph understood. "Hey, she didn't say yes to the dude, bro."

Emma nodded. "Broseph's right, Ben," she agreed. "If you want to be with her, then _fight_ for her!"

Those words – echoing of Lance's earlier advice – knocked Ben out of his funk. "You know what?" he asked. "I _will!_" He turned around. "Just give me a couple minutes; I'll be right back!" With that, he darted off.

'_I can do this,_' Ben thought as he ran. '_I've faced down Vilgax dozens of times; I've dealt with the Forever Knights, Hex, Ghostfreak, and plenty others; I helped stop an entire invasion of Highbreed; heck when I was 10, I stopped the entire __**universe**__ from blowing up!_'

He gulped. '_All I have to do is ask Lo out,_' he finished. '_I just have to ask out the only daughter of an ex-Ranger, multi-millionaire hotel-chain owner…the daughter who, until fairly recently, seemed to hate my guts…_'

Shaking his head, Ben forced those thoughts down. '_Okay, that's enough of that,_' he corrected. '_It's like Lance said: time to man up._'

Lo was just walking out of the DR when Ben entered the lobby. Seeing him approach, she blinked. "Something wrong?"

"No, no," Ben answered. "I just…wanted to talk about what I'd started to on the golf-course."

"Okay."

Ben took a deep breath. "I was just wondering…look, you probably have other plans…" he began, but he stopped, and started over. "Look, do you…on our break, do you want to go surfing?"

Lo arched an eyebrow. "What, like with Fin, Reef, and the others?"

"No!" Ben said quickly, but softened his tone. "No, no others; just…you and me."

Lo's mouth started to turn up. "Like a date?"

'_Oh, boy; here it comes,_' Ben thought. "Yeah."

For a very long moment, Lo was silent, before she smiled. "Sure."

Ben's eyebrows shot up past his hairline. "Really?"

Lo giggled. "Did I stutter, or something?" She turned to go. "See you at the beach!"

Ben grinned. "Uh…y-yeah!" he replied. Once Lo was out of sight, he jumped for joy. '_Oh, yeah! Ben 10 has still got it!_' Turning back, he headed towards the truck, taking out his cell-phone as he did, dialling in mid-stride. "Hey, Fin? It's Ben. We're gonna have to scratch the surf-lesson, this afternoon; I've got other plans…"

XXXXXXXX

After the truck had arrived, Lo had spent an hour at the staff print-center, doing up e-mail flyers and printing off brochures detailing the Vintage Surfboard Tour…all the while trying not to glance at the clock, every two minutes, telling herself she _wasn't_ counting down to lunch-hour.

Ben had asked her out.

She knew it wasn't _that_ big a deal, but for some reason, when he'd asked her, her heart had suddenly started racing…

"All done, Lo!"

Glancing up, Lo spotted Emma as she walked in. Seeing her expression, Emma's smile grew. "Ben asked you out, didn't he?" she squealed. "I _knew_ it! I _knew_ something was up! He was grinning like a total goofball the whole time we were moving those boards!"

Lo smiled shyly, twirling her hair as she looked away, hoping to hide her blush. "Really, Emma, it's not _that_ big a deal!"

"Not a big deal? Lo, you're _glowing!_" Emma laughed. Her expression turned worried. "For a minute, though, I think Ben was worried you liked that boy Kai; you weren't _really_ flirting with him, were you?"

Now it was Lo's turn to laugh. "Like I told you before, Emma: Lauren Ridgemount gets boys to chase _her!_" she declared. "Oh, and _that's_ how you make a boy jealous, by the way."

At first, Emma looked impressed, but quickly turned forlorn. "But…weren't you just _using_ Kai?"

"_Please._ A little flirting never hurt anyone!" Lo answered. "Besides, he's probably a Type One – Type Two, tops!"

Emma looked at her like she'd grown an extra head. "_Huh?_"

Lo sighed. "Dateable boys come in three types," she explained. "Type Ones – the One-Date-Wonders – are looking for just that: one date! Some just want to be seen dating you one time if you're pretty, or popular…but most of the time, Type Ones just want to try and get in your bikini."

Emma flinched. "_Ick!_"

Lo nodded. "That's why I always keep pepper-spray in my purse," she agreed. Her expression lightened. "Then there are Type Twos: the Semi-Hook-Ups. Type Twos are the guys that are genuinely interested in you beyond one or two dates, but the relationship doesn't usually last; it could be because they're moving soon, or because they're focused on sports, or schoolwork, but sooner or later, any relationship you have with them will tank." She frowned. "It could also be because they're Type Ones in disguise."

"Okay," Emma said. "And the third type?"

Lo sighed dreamily. "Type Threes are by _far_ the most elusive," she said. "Three letters say it all: _TBM!_"

Emma blinked. "TBM?"

"_Total. Boyfriend. Material._" Lo sighed. "Basically, if you're lucky enough to find a Type Three, you grab him up and _don't_ let go!"

Emma smiled dreamily. "Yeah…"

Lo flinched. "_Please_ tell me you're not thinking about my brother."

Emma's smile turned sheepish. "Um…okay," she answered. "So, what about Ben?" She chuckled. "Type Three?"

"I don't know; it usually takes one date to say for certain," Lo answered, before glancing at the clock. "Speaking of which, I'd better get moving!"

Emma smiled. "Have fun!"

"Thanks!" With that, Lo hurried out of the print-center, heading towards the staff-house.

After donning her bikini and grabbing her board, Lo quickly dashed to the beach, finding Ben already there, in his trunks, board in hand. Seeing her run up, Ben smiled. "Hey."

"Hey," Lo greeted, smiling back. "I…I saw the lobby as I was heading here. You guys did a great job."

Ben's smile grew. "We aim to please."

Lo felt her blush return in full force as she absently ran her hand through her hair. "Sorry I kinda made you guys jump through hoops just to get me back in the penthouse…"

"Hey, if you hadn't, Bummer probably would have," Ben replied, chuckling. "I can't speak for the others – they're your friends, and Broseph would've probably sold a kidney to get near those boards – but I usually do what I can to fill my "I Did Something Nice For A Beautiful Girl" quota. My fragile male ego thanks you."

Now Lo was _sure_ her face was on _fire._ "Glad I could help," she answered. "So…wanna shred some waves?"

Ben grinned. "Thought you'd never ask." Smiling back, Lo quickly followed Ben out into the surf.

After lining up for several minutes, Ben and Lo paddled into an impressive wave, popping up as it began to crest. Gliding out into the rushing blue, Ben executed a nearly-perfect cutback, looping back in on his own trail before shooting up to the whitecap, launching his board into a 360, before landing behind the wave. Racing up to the whitecap, Lo crouched down on her board, grabbing the tail end as she raced across the wave, and then leapt off, shifting into a side-grab as she flew across the blue, landing back on the whitecap, before pulling back, letting the wave pass by.

As she drifted back towards Ben, Lo smiled. "Not bad," she teased.

"Hey, you weren't half-shabby, yourself," Ben quipped back.

Lo laughed. "Duh! I've only been surfing since I was, like, _eight!_" she exclaimed, sitting down on her board. Her smile turned a bit wistful. "I may not be as good as Fin, but I can still kick butt!"

"Hey, I wouldn't sell yourself short," Ben said, sitting down on his board across from her. "You're…you're awesome, Lo."

Lo's cheeks flared up, once again. "You kinda got a weird way of showing it."

Ben blinked. "Huh?"

Lo wanted to smack herself for saying that, but her mouth was on autopilot. "I just think that hanging with another girl all day yesterday is a weird way to let a girl know she's awesome, that's all," she heard herself say, trying to keep the hurt out of her voice…and only partially succeeding.

"Wait…is _that_ it?" Ben asked, before he laughed. "Is _that_ why you were so…_pissy_ at me, yesterday?"

Lo huffed. "I was _not!_" she shouted. "And that _isn't_ funny, Ben!"

Ben just chuckled. "Sorry, Lo, but it kinda is, because you've got it all wrong!"

Lo's eyes narrowed. "Oh, I _know_ I saw you hanging with Fin yesterday, Ben; first it was in the morning, and then at sunset!"

"Well, yeah, that much is true, but I didn't have much say in the matter!" Ben defended. "Yesterday morning, I was just heading for the Office – minding my own business – when Fin suddenly shanghaies me and drags me to the beach for an impromptu surf-lesson! Granted, she's a pretty good teacher, but I would've preferred a warning!"

Lo arched an eyebrow. "Seriously?"

Ben nodded. "Then, at lunch-break, I was going to catch a few waves on my own, but then _Reef_ blindsides me for his own lesson-plan! Apparently, he heard about Fin's little lesson, and wasn't going to stand for it!"

Lo felt her mouth start to twitch upwards. "Okay…why?"

Ben sighed. "The two of them seem to think that teaching _me_ will somehow persuade Grandpa to teach them the Zero-G, despite my statements to the contrary," he lamented. "Oh, but it gets _better:_ that evening, Fin – having heard about Reef's plan – ambushes me _again,_ prompting Reef to schedule _another_ lesson this morning, which made Fin pencil me in again, this afternoon! I mean, what am I? A freakin' tug-of-war?"

Lo couldn't help it – she burst out laughing. "Okay, that story is _way_ too stupid to be a lie!" she gasped out.

"Yeah, well, I didn't find it so funny, yesterday," Ben muttered, meeting her gaze. "As good as those two both are, I would have preferred to spend time with someone _else._"

Lo felt butterflies start to bounce around in her stomach. "Oh?" she asked, inching closer. "Anybody I know?"

"I think so," Ben answered, inching towards her. "She has this beautiful, long, chestnut hair…"

Lo fought back a blush. "Yeah…"

"…and she has these amazing amethyst eyes, the kind you could get lost in…"

"Yeah…"

Ben grinned as he finished. "…and she has the hardest skull I've ever seen; she practically gave me a concussion on my first day!"

Lo's eyes shot open with alarm, as she saw Ben start to laugh, before laughter bubbled forth from her lips. "_Shut UP!_" she laughed, grabbing the edge of Ben's board and tipping it up, dunking him into the water. Popping up to the surface, Ben half-glared at her, his hair drooping over his eyes. "Serves you right!" Lo teased. "You should've known better than to talk to a girl like – _EEEEK!_"

Lo shrieked as Ben ducked back under the water, tipping her board up and dunking her in the drink. Popping back up, her hair slicked back against her skull, Lo glowered at Ben…until they both burst out laughing. As their laughter died away, Ben's expression turned worried. "Lo, that day I got hired, when we bumped into each other," he began, "I didn't…I didn't hurt you, did I?"

Surprised, Lo shook her head. "No, not really; I was just _way_ bitchy after hearing I was exiled from the penthouse." Her expression turned forlorn. "Sorry."

Ben shook his head. "I wouldn't say you were bitchy; just…kinda pissy, at times…a little."

"Even so, I…I kinda heaped a lot of it on you," Lo murmured, chewing her lower lip nervously, "and…and you really didn't deserve it, especially after…you saved me from Kelly."

Just the thought of that moment sent shivers down Lo's spine…which only grew at Ben's words. "Hey, I just don't like seeing anybody get bullied; having _two_ former childhood tormentors kinda destroyed my tolerance for it," he said. "Besides, even though I didn't know it at the time…you were _worth_ saving."

The butterflies in Lo's stomach promptly upped their game, going from simple somersaults to complex tumbling routines. "You…used to get bullied?" she asked, trying to cover up the silence before Ben heard her heart racing up into her throat.

Sighing, Ben nodded. "Yeah, by the two local toughs in Bellwood: Cash and JT," he said. "It took me 5 years to stand up to them."

Lo looked stricken. "No wonder you kept out of Initiation."

"Yeah." Ben shrugged, before smiling. "Luckily, it all worked out."

Lo smiled back. "I'm…really glad it did."

"Likewise."

It was only then that they both noticed how close they'd gotten to each other; their noses were only inches away, with Ben close enough to catch the fragrance of lilacs and vanilla she used in her hair, while Lo was close enough to see that Ben's eyes weren't just green, but a brilliant forest-emerald shade.

Only two days ago, Lo would have insisted that Ben back off…but now, she knew better; fluttering her eyes closed, Lo craned her neck upwards, her lips parting in invitation. His gaze softening, Ben moved to accept her invitation, leaning down towards her…

…and suddenly freezing. "Hey…did you hear something?"

'_No, so just clam up and kiss me!_' Lo thought…until she heard two voices on the wind. "Is that…Reef and Fin?"

"Sounds like it!" Ben agreed, leaning back and looking around. "I think I see them! They both just went under the water! They might need our help!"

As Ben hopped back onto his board, Lo quickly did the same, following Ben as he paddled towards them. Part of her hoped their friends were okay…but part of her couldn't help but be annoyed. '_Reef, Fin, you both SO owe me big time for this…_'

XXXXXXXX

_A few minutes earlier_

"I bet the waves further out are _way_ gnarlier than the ones in here! You up for it, betty?"

"Bring it, kook!"

After Ben had blown off their surf-lesson, Fin had been left with nothing to do but catch waves…until Reef had shown up, big mouth and all, eventually leading to their latest little contest: a surf-sesh further out at sea, where the big waves rolled in.

Paddling out until Sunset Island was a green shape on the endless blue, Reef and Fin came to a stop in front of a breaking wave – easily a ten-footer. Reef grinned. "Watch and learn, betty!"

"_Please._ Like you'd actually surf that!" Fin scoffed. "If that wave pins you, you could get stuck underwater for a _long_ time."

"Whatever, betty! I can hold my breath for five whole minutes!"

Fin arched an eyebrow. "_Prove_ it."

"Okay, fine! I will!" Reef challenged. "Bet I can hold my breath longer than you can!"

Fin grinned slyly. "You're so _on!_" With that, they both hopped off their boards, dipping into the blue, simply floating there in front of each other. For a minute, they simply remained still, neither one backing down. Finally, Reef grabbed the tip of his nose and pulled upwards, trying to make her laugh.

Not to be outdone, Fin puffed out her cheeks, squinted one eye shut, and stuck out her tongue.

For another minute, they floated there, looking like two drowned clowns, both trying not to laugh at the other, until Reef's hand shot out, tickling Fin's abdomen. Laughing out a stream of silver bubbles, Fin shot to the surface, followed by Reef. "Oh yeah! I am the _man!_"

Flushed, Fin glared at him. "You _cheated_, you kook!"

"Okay, _this_ is what you guys were doing?"

Startled, Reef and Fin turned to see Ben paddle towards them on his board, followed by an annoyed-looking Lo. "We come all the way out here to try and save your butts, and you two aren't even in _trouble?_" Lo continued, her hands on her hips.

Fin blinked. "Ben? Lo? What are you two doing here?"

"We should be asking _you_ that!" Ben answered. "Lo and I were just catching a sesh when we heard the two of you! We saw you both go under, so we came to help!"

Lo pouted, crossing her arms. "And the two of you aren't even in trouble!" she muttered.

Ben grinned sheepishly, scratching the back of his head. "Sorry about that," he offered.

Her eyebrow arched, Fin smiled knowingly. "_Oh…_so _that's_ why you cancelled our surf-lesson, huh?" she asked. "We didn't _interrupt_ anything, did we?"

Both Ben and Lo flushed red at that, but Reef interrupted. "You were trying to sneak another surf-lesson?" he snapped. "What the hell?"

"Same to you, kook! He's _my_ student!"

"_I'm_ the surf-instructor here, betty!" Reef shot back. "You're just trying to scope the Zero-G, and I'm _not_ letting you get away with it!"

"Like a total poser like you deserves to learn the…"

"_QUIET!_" Ben shouted. "_Enough_, already! We are settling this, here and now! Fin, Reef, back under the water; whoever holds their breath longest gets to teach me! You can make funny faces, but that's it! Lo and I will watch to make sure no-one cheats!"

Fin glared at Reef. "Fine by me!"

"Ditto!" With that, the four of them dipped under the water's surface.

Floating next to each other, Ben and Lo watched as Reef and Fin made funny faces at each other.

Reef stretched out his lower lip, exposing his teeth.

Fin crossed her eyes, and curled her tongue into three loops.

Reef made his eyes buggy, pulled on his earlobes, and opened his mouth, flicking his tongue like a frog's.

Fin countered by reaching behind her head, pulling back on her scalp to stretch it along her skull, and sticking out her tongue.

Finally, Ben had seen enough. Waving, he drew Fin and Reef, plus Lo, to look at him…

The very instant they saw the face Ben had made, all three of them burst into silver-lined laughter, darting back up to the surface, coughing and sputtering as they laughed, clinging to their boards, while Ben popped up two seconds later. "No _fair!_" Fin laughed.

"Hey, I never said you two were the _only_ ones who could make faces!" Ben chortled. "Guess that means I win, so no more shanghaied surf-lessons!"

Lo was still giggling. "_Ben!_ A little _warning_ would've been nice!"

Ben grinned. "It wouldn't have helped, Lo," he answered. "That's why I call it the Widowmaker: it _slays_ everyone that sees it!"

Managing to get his laughter under control, Reef looked around…and paled. "Uh…guys? Where'd the island go?"

Sure enough, Sunset Island was nowhere to be seen. "Oh, no! We must've got caught on a rip!" Fin cried.

"_W-What?_" Lo wailed. "You mean we're…we're _lost at sea!_"

Ben grimaced. "Okay, everybody just stay calm!" he said. "This is the absolute _worst_ time to panic!"

"This is the _PERFECT_ time to panic!" Reef cried. "Things can't _get_ any worse!"

Now it was Fin's turn to pale. "Oh, yes they can!" she exclaimed. "_SHARKS!_"

Following her pointing finger, the others spotted a trio of dorsal fins gliding through the water towards them. "_Everybody on your boards!_" Ben shouted, pulling himself onto his board completely, as the others did the same. "No quick movements! Everyone stay _still!_"

As the sharks swam towards them, circling around their boards, the four surfers kept perfectly still, barely daring to breathe. Lo's lip quivered with terror. "Why won't they just go _away?_" she whimpered.

"They're trying to figure us out," Ben whispered. "Seconds ago, they smelled something right where we are, and now they can't find it. They're trying to pick up the scent…"

But he was cut off, as one shark bumped Ben's board, knocking him off of it, and into the dark water, where he vanished below the surface…as one dorsal fin dove after him. "_BEN!_" Lo screamed.

Reef wasn't much better. "Oh, man…oh, man…"

Suddenly, a brilliant flash of emerald light lit up the water under them for miles around…right before the shark was sent flying out of the water. Fin's eyes went wide. "_What the heck was that?_"

Looking around, Reef pointed to an approaching fin. "Lo, look out!" Gasping with fright, Lo tried to paddle away from the closing shark, but she was never going to make it…and then she saw it.

At first, she thought it looked like the antenna-thing of an angler-fish, but it was way too big, and it was moving too fast…but as it streaked right at the shark, the rest of it became clear: the antenna-thing was growing out of the forehead of a tall, well-muscled, pale-skinned humanoid creature, with green dorsal fins running down his back, beady black eyes – almost exactly like a shark's – and a maw filled with row upon row of razor-sharp teeth, each one as large as a _spearpoint,_ with a long, green-black fish-tail where his legs should have been, and some kind of disc – Lo couldn't really make it out – embedded in its chest.

Leaping out of the water, the fish-thing tackled the approaching shark, knocking it deeper under the surface, where it passed directly under Lo's board; seconds later, _that_ shark was sent flying across the ocean's surface, swimming away as fast as it could.

While the third shark swam at the sea-monster, the three groms were officially _way_ beyond freaked-out. "_Oh my God, what the hell IS that thing?_" Reef cried. "W-We've gotta get _out_ of here, or we're _so_ dead!"

Fin was just as freaked, until she spotted something in the distance. "Look! There's an island over there! If we hurry, we can make it!"

Lo was horrified. "W-What about Ben? We can't just _leave_ him!"

"Do you think I _want_ to?" Fin cried. "If we're not _gonzo_ by the time that thing finishes with the sharks, we're _next!_" As her two friends started paddling for safety, a stricken Lo took one last look towards the frothy open ocean, where Ben's board floated, before paddling after them.

XXXXXXXX

_Surfer's Paradise_

As his shift finished, Broseph was about to head out to the Office, but he had to pause to look at the Vintage Surfboard Collection; each and every one of the classic boards had been painstakingly displayed in glass cases throughout the lobby-quarium, highlighted perfectly against the blue of the shark-tank…and he'd actually been allowed to _handle_ them.

Walking towards the Duke Hanale Board, Broseph grinned. '_Sweet coin, killer waves, and classic boards; life is good…_'

_Broseph…_

That echoing whisper stopped Broseph's thoughts, drawing his gaze towards the carved, totemic face engraved into the board. '_Huh?_'

_Take me for a ride…_

Broseph's eyes went wide. "Did…did you _say_ something, bro?"

"That board spoke to you, huh?"

As The Kahuna walked up next to him, Broseph was shaken out of his reverie. "_Whoa_, that was _heavy…_"

The Kahuna's smile was knowing. "That board has _chosen_ you, man," he said. "If you get the chance, you should go. All I'm saying."

As The Kahuna walked off, Emma darted in, rushing up to Johnny at his desk. "Johnny, have you seen Reef or Fin? They are going to _freak_ when they see these boards!"

Johnny shook his head. "Sorry, Emma; I haven't seen them since they signed out."

"Wait…they're _both_ M.I.A.?" Emma asked, before she gasped. "They're _totally hooking up!_ I _knew_ it!"

As Emma fished out her phone, Johnny smiled sheepishly. "Hold on, Emma; all we know is that they're missing at the same time…"

"Oh, come _on_, Johnny! It's so obvious!" Emma exclaimed. "I _have_ to tell Lo!" Dialling in Lo's number, she made the call…but got no answer. "That's weird; she's usually right by her phone…" she began, and then she smiled. "_Oh my gosh!_ She's still not back from her surf-date with Ben! _THEY'RE_ hooking up, too!"

Johnny chuckled, as he gazed at her. "I guess love is in the air…"

Emma sighed. "I know; I wonder if Ty feels it, too…"

Johnny's smile collapsed. "Right. Ty. Of course."

Emma's sugary smile suddenly fell into an uncomfortable grimace, as her hands flew down to her shorts. "Uh…Johnny? Could you…watch the surfboards for a little while?" she murmured. "I…I kinda have to pee…"

"Sorry, Emma," Johnny said, checking his pager. "Bummer just buzzed me: Mr. Mitchells from Room 1302 is complaining about the pool. Duty calls."

As Johnny walked off, a stricken Emma turned to Broseph. "Broseph, watch the boards! I need to get to a bathroom before I _burst!_"

"No problem, bra; got your back." As Emma hobbled off, Broseph went back to appreciating the boards…

_Broseph…_

That haunting whisper drew Broseph's gaze back to the Hanale Balsam Board. "I'm…I'm just hearing things…"

_Let's shred, dude…_

Broseph gulped as he backed away. "Whoa…don't tempt me, bro…"

_Come on, dude…hang ten…catch some waves…you know you want to…_

Closing his eyes, Broseph tried to shut out the board's siren calls…before he opened them, and made his decision.

XXXXXXXX

_International waters_

After driving off the sharks, the fish-monster leapt onto Ben's surfboard, as his fish-tail morphed into a pair of scaly legs, right before the dial on his chest flared red, leaving Ben in his place. '_Man, talk about a lucky break; Ripjaws couldn't have PICKED a better time to pop back in the Omnitrix's lineup!_'

Looking around, Ben spotted an island in the distance. '_I guess that's where the others headed,_' he thought. '_I'd better get moving before those sharks come back!_' With that, he started paddling.

Within several minutes, Ben reached the shoreline, where white sands and trees were the only things that greeted him. '_Okay, the others couldn't have gotten far; I just need to find them…_'

"We _have_ to go back!"

Hearing that familiar cry, Ben followed it around the bend, where he found Fin, Reef, and Lo, the latter of which looked immensely distressed. "Ben's still _out_ there!" Lo cried. "We can't just leave him! We have to go looking!"

"With that _sea-monster_ out there, too?" Reef protested. "Not a _chance!_"

Fin looked stricken. "Lo, as much as I hate to say it – and I really, _really_ hate to say it – but we may have to the fact that Ben's…that Ben could be…"

Suppressing a guilty chuckle, Ben casually walked into view. "That I could be _what?_"

Turning around, Lo beamed as she saw Ben, before rushing over to hug him. "_BEN!_ You're okay!" she exclaimed…before she remembered herself; stepping back, she frowned, swatting Ben on the shoulder. "What the _hell_, Ben? You scared me…I mean, you scared _us_ half to death!"

Ben frowned back. "Hey, I wasn't exactly having the time of my life either, Lo!"

Fin looked worried. "Seriously, Ben, how'd you get away? We saw some kind of sea-monster out there with those sharks!"

Ben thought fast. "I know; I saw it!" he answered. "After I'd fallen off my board, those sharks were going for me, but then that…fish-thing fought them off! I didn't want to stick around, so I swam here!" He managed a smile. "I'm pretty sure it didn't follow me; I think it was trying to save me…"

"Yeah, save you for _his_ lunch!" Reef said. "Did you see the _teeth_ on that thing? Total Jaws 2.0!"

Fin looked equally grim. "So we're stuck choosing between a quick death at the hands of a sea-monster, or a _slow_ one marooned on a deserted island," she muttered. "Terrific."

It was only then that Ben remembered their situation; they were all stuck on this – most likely uninhabited – island, with absolutely no _idea_ where they were. "Oh, _crap…_"

Lo was even _more_ distraught. "Oh, God…oh, God…t-this _CAN'T_ be happening!" she wailed. "I-I had just impressed Daddy! H-He was probably going to let me come home!"

Reef was just as bad. "I'll _never_ win Gromfest, now!" he lamented. "I'll never get discovered by a surf-mag agent…never make a bundle on endorsements…"

Fin snorted. "Like you had a chance at winning Gromfest to _begin_ with…"

"Guys, this isn't helping!" Ben exclaimed. "Right now, our priority should be on _surviving_ out here! We need to start working on three things: food, shelter, and a signal-fire!"

"Okay, fine!" Reef said. "You two betties start getting some shelter together, while me an' States go rustle up some grub…"

"Uh, _excuse_ me? _Who_ put you in charge, again?" Fin snapped. "Why do _we_ have to find shelter?"

"Duh! Because only guys can hunt!" Reef said. "It's been that way since the caveman days!"

Fin's eyes narrowed. "Oh, so you'd be an expert on the subject?"

"_QUIT it!_" Ben shouted. "_God,_ you two! We're all _stranded_ on a deserted island, and you both can't stop snapping at each other for five freaking _minutes?_ If we're going to get through this, we have to work _together!_" He paused, taking a deep breath. "Okay, let's just get organized about this. First of all, _food;_ we're close to the ocean, so that's probably going to supply the majority of our diet. Does anybody here know how to fish?"

Calming, Fin raised her hand. "I used to go deep-sea fishing with my Grandpa when I was a kid, plus I aced my Girl Guides Marine Survival Gold Award!" she supplied. "I think I can rig a fishing-line with some seaweed and some of the shells on the beach!"

Ben grinned. "Sounds good, sailor!" he agreed. "Next, shelter: we're probably only going to be able to build a simple lean-to. Reef, think you can scrounge up some mid-sized sticks?"

Reef snorted. "Hey, if a betty can…"

"Spare us the commentary, man; yes or no?"

Reef sighed. "Yeah."

"Good. Just be sure you keep within a couple kilometers from here; we don't want anybody getting lost," Ben said. "While you're at it, keep an eye out for any edible berries or fruits; if we stick to fish for too long, scurvy's going to get us fast." Glancing along the shoreline to the east, he finished, "That only leaves the signal-fire. Lo, you and I had better start scouting for firewood and a vantage-point to build it where it'll be seen. We should also keep an eye out for any signs of habitation; this island might not be as deserted as we think."

Lo blinked. "O-Okay…"

Fin nodded. "Sounds like a plan."

"Good," Ben said. "We'd better get moving; nightfall's only a few hours away, and we don't know what's out here." With that, he and Lo headed east along the shoreline, while Reef and Fin went about their tasks.

After a few minutes of walking, Ben spotted a nearby thicket. "I think that brush should be good for kindling," he remarked, walking towards it. "Lo, you keep an eye out for something we can use for the main fuel-source, okay?"

Lo sniffled. "Sure, why not? We're probably gonna be here the rest of our lives!"

Ben paused, glancing over his shoulder. "Lo, we can't think like that…"

"Why not? That's how my luck seems to be going!" Lo wailed. "First I get tossed out of the penthouse, and now that I've almost fixed it, _this_ happens! That's _twice_ my life has ended in less than two _months!_ The only consolation is that things can't _get_ any worse!"

Ben flinched, as he glanced down at the Omnitrix; it would be child's play to just go Jetray, fly off, and get help, but without knowing exactly where this island was, he'd never be able to find them again.

It would also mean exposing his secret to Lo…and risking her reaction. '_Oh, God…what do I do?_' Lost in his thoughts, he never noticed Lo take one step towards him…

_Crick!_

That sound quickly stopped Ben's cogitation; as her left ankle bent in a way _no_ ankle ever should, Lo erupted in a scream of agony. "_OWWWWWWWW!_"

His eyes wide with horror, Ben rushed to her side, catching her shoulders to support her before she collapsed. "Lo, are you okay?"

Lo was just barely suppressing tears. "Do I _sound_ like I'm okay?"

Ben flinched. "Right; stupid question!" he admonished himself. "We'd better get you back to camp; can you walk at all?"

Lo sniffled, inching her foot back towards the ground. "I-I don't know; just let me see if I can – _OWWWWWWWWW! OW, OW, OW!_" She pulled her swelling foot back off the ground. "N-No, I can't walk!" she whimpered. "I should've _known_ this day would get worse!"

Ben's expression was firm. "You can gripe about it later, Lo; we have to get you out of here."

"How?" Lo cried. "Right now my only options involve hopping, and it'll take forever to – _EEEPP!_"

Lo let out a squeak of surprise as Ben knelt down, taking hold behind her knees and shoulders, and lifted her up into his arms, carrying her bridal-style. "I think this'll be a little faster."

Blushing like crazy, Lo could barely stammer a reply. "O-Okay…" she managed to murmur, as Ben turned and hurried back towards the campsite.

XXXXXXXX

Lo had to admit, she was in a mild daze as Ben rushed her back to their improvised campsite; part of it was due to the throbbing pain in her ankle…but at least _some_ of it had to be due to how Ben was carrying her.

In minutes, they reached the landing-site, marked by their boards jabbed into the sand; looking up, Lo saw that Reef's lean-to wasn't doing so well – at most, it looked like a very _badly_ improvised tepee, that would probably fall over with one good breeze.

Fin, on the other hand, was proudly standing beside a line of fish she was hanging on a twisted-seaweed rope she'd suspended on two sticks, her expression smug as she leaned against the fishing-spear she'd constructed. "Sure you don't want any help, Barnacle-Brains?"

"As if!" Reef shot back. "This is gonna be the best lean-to you ever saw! You just wait!"

Shrugging, Fin glanced towards Ben and Lo…and her smile grew. "Well, I see you two didn't waste any time!"

"This is serious, Fin! Lo's hurt!" Ben exclaimed. "She twisted her ankle on a rock! It could be broken!"

Fin's smile quickly evaporated. "O-Oh, my God! Quick, put her down over here!" she said, gesturing to a nearby tree.

Ben nodded, hurrying to the tree and setting Lo beside it, letting her lean back against it as he stretched out her afflicted leg to full length. "Okay, Lo, I just need to check for any breaks," Ben warned. "This is gonna hurt a little, but we need to check, okay?"

Under any other circumstances, Lo would have been screaming her head off at the boy who had gotten her into this mess…but this was _Ben;_ she trusted him. "O-Okay," she murmured, scrunching her eyes shut and bracing herself. Slowly, she felt Ben's fingers on her ankle, starting close to her instep, and carefully approaching the swollen area, gently probing for breaks; as his hands pressed on the angry red sections, Lo felt pain flare up again, but not quite as bad as before. "_Ow, ow, ow…_"

Mercifully, Ben's diagnosis lasted only a few more seconds. Breathing a relieved sigh, he withdrew his hands. "I don't think it's broken; it's probably just sprained," he said. "We'll still need to immobilize it, though; Fin, do you have any long strands of seaweed? Long enough to wrap around her foot?"

Fin nodded. "I think so."

"Good." Ben turned to Reef. "Reef, we're gonna need some of your lumber, there – two sticks, each long enough to span the distance from Lo's bottom heel to the top of her shin. In the meantime, I'll go find a flat rock to support her foot."

As Ben hurried off, Lo could only watch him go, her eyes wide, as though she were only noticing him for the first time: his emerald eyes cast into that rugged-yet-boyishly handsome face, warmed by a reassuring smile that made her knees go wobbly. The rest of him was just as good to look at: his arms and torso, still fairly pale, were moderately chiselled – he wasn't taking 1st Place in any bodybuilding competitions, but he kept himself in good enough shape to at least get an Honourable Mention, _especially_ with those fairly-toned abs. '_Soccer has OBVIOUSLY been good to him…_'

Her appreciative gaze quickly went wide, as that last observation combined with everything she already knew about him – him standing up to Kelly, confronting her about her advice to Emma, her freak-out when he'd gone out with Cecilia, her sadness upon learning about Julie, and her recent change of heart about him, over the past few days – to produce one glaring computation. '_Oh. My. Gosh._'

Before now, she'd thought of Ben as, at most, a Type Two guy: a brief, sweet, summer-fling…but now, she knew better. '_He's…he's a Type THREE, easily…_'

"Admiring the view?"

Lo froze as a smirking Fin walked up, sitting down next to her, several lengths of seaweed in hand. "You're not going to try and deny it anymore, are you?"

Lo's blush came back, full-force, though her expression was of amazed joy. "I…I'd have never believed it!" she exclaimed, as softly as she could. "Ben is…is _Total Boyfriend Material!_" Her smile collapsed into dismay. "How did I miss this? Even stupid _Stanhope_ saw it before I did!"

Fin shrugged. "Hey, you probably just misread the messages."

Lo arched an eyebrow. "Huh?"

Fin sighed. "Look, emotions basically break down into two components: levels of physiological arousal, and either a positive or negative cognitive label," she explained. "With a positive label, high arousal gives you things like ecstatic joy, while low arousal gives simple happiness; on the negative side, low arousal gives sadness, while high arousal gives things like anger or hatred." She grinned. "Basically, on the day you two met, him bumping into you put a negative label in your head, so that when the sight of him got your body all hot and bothered, your brain misread your body's message of "I think that guy's cute!" as "That cute guy just hurt me! That JERK!"" She chuckled. "And now that the label's gone, the message can get through!"

Lo just stared at her.

Fin groaned. "Look, my grandpa's a shrink, okay?"

Lo started to grin. "So what's still messing up _your_ brain about the messages it gets about Reef?"

Fin frowned. "Don't even _go_ there, Ridgemount."

"Found one!"

Popping up from under the surface of the water, Ben held up a perfectly flat stone, around the same size as Lo's foot. Rushing over, he placed the stone flat against the sole of her foot. Once Reef walked over with the two splints, Ben placed them on both sides of her shin, allowing Fin to loop seaweed around Lo's instep, and then around her shin just above her ankle, immobilizing it in a perfect, improvised splint. "Okay, that should do for now," Ben observed. "It'll hold until we can get out of here."

Lo smiled happily. "Thanks."

Smiling slyly, Fin glanced to Reef. "Consider this your lucky day, Chowderhead; I'm gonna help you find some decent building-material. Let's go."

"What? No way!" Reef protested. "I don't need any betty's help to – _OW!_" His remark was cut off by Fin's elbow in his gut, followed by her tilting her head towards Ben and Lo. Reef just blinked, before his eyes widened. "_Oh!_" he exclaimed, smiling knowingly. "Riiiiight…I gotcha! Be my guest!" With that, he and Fin walked off in the opposite direction, but not before Reef tossed Ben a conspiratorial wink.

Lo suppressed a chuckle. "Well, that was subtle," she said, before wincing.

"Yeah." Ben's smile dimmed. "I guess this was probably the worst date you've ever been on, right?"

Lo blinked. "Why?"

Ben snorted. "_Look_ at us! We got caught on a rip, chased by sharks and sea-monsters, marooned on a deserted island, _and_ I got your ankle hurt!"

Lo smiled. "Well, maybe," she said, "but you _also_ shredded some sweet waves with me, made me laugh major water up my nose with that "Widowmaker" face of yours, actually got Reef and Fin to stop fighting on _two_ occasions, managed to keep cool long enough for us to make a plan to get out of here, _and_ you rushed me to safety and patched said ankle up!" Her cheeks started to burn. "This first date has to be _way_ more entertaining than my folks' first date."

"Oh?" Ben asked, intrigued. "What happened?"

"That was the night they met," Lo answered. "I mean, you should know; your Grandpa helped it happen!"

"All I know is that, back when Grandpa was in the Air Force, he and a few of his service-pals – including your Dad, I guess – took a trip up to B.C. for a rock-concert," Ben replied. "Grandpa got…called away for a little bit; by the time he got back, the concert was over, and your Dad was with this hippie-chick – your Mom. That's all I know."

Lo nodded. "Well, maybe I can fill in the blanks," she offered. "My Mom told me that she and Daddy met in her first year of college; she was this total flower-child! She and her friends went to this concert – the one you mentioned – and she kinda got separated from them…and then they saw each other."

"Your Mom and your Dad?"

Lo beamed. "It was total love at first sight!" she cooed. "I mean, she was all about peace, and he was this U.S. Army Ranger, but whatever people say about opposites attracting was totally true, and then the band started playing this slow song, right at that moment!" She sighed dreamily, clasping her hands. "And that pretty much sealed the deal: they both knew they were meant to be…"

"…and that's where my Grandpa found them," Ben finished.

Lo nodded. "They kept in touch ever since then," she continued. "Finally, Daddy decides to pop the question, Mom says yes, and Daddy immigrates to Canada and settles down with Mom in Sunset Beach!"

Ben grinned. "And the rest is history," he said. "Well, it's nice to see they've still got their happy ending, right?"

Lo smiled back. "As traumatizing as it is to see, sometimes, it's nice to know they're still in love," she agreed. "I guess fairy-tale endings _can_ happen!"

Ben chuckled. "And what about horror-stories like _this_ date?"

Lo giggled. "I wouldn't go that far," she reminded him. "If I have to be stranded on a deserted island…I'm glad you're here with me."

Ben's smile grew. "I'm…glad you're here, too." Just then, a wolf cried out in the distance, causing Ben to jerk up, his eyes darting around, noticing the sun starting to set. "Wow, it's…it's getting dark faster than I thought," he murmured. "Look, I'm going to try and find some flint so we can start a fire, okay?"

Lo looked stricken. "Y-You're leaving?"

Ben smiled gently. "I'll be gone just five minutes, _tops,_" he promised. "I'll only be going a few meters from here; if you need me, you just scream out and I'll come running. _Promise._"

Lo smiled back at him. "Okay," she cooed. "Hurry back."

"I will." With that, Ben got up, and hurried into the woods. Alone on the beach, Lo simply leaned back, to enjoy the sunset as much as she could.

She was stranded on a deserted island with a guy that – there was no sense denying it, now – she definitely liked.

There were worse fates.

XXXXXXXX

_Surfer's Paradise_

"_Ahhhhh!_ What a _relief!_"

After her little bathroom-break, Emma made her way back to the lobby, walking in just as a distraught-looking Johnny was returning to his desk. "Are you okay?"

Johnny's left eye was visibly twitching. "Old man Chester…cannonball…floating swim-trunks…"

Emma gasped as she pieced together the sense of that statement. "Oh, no…did you see..?"

"So…much…skin…" Johnny whimpered. "Never…going to pool…ever again…"

"_Where_ is my summer-staff?"

Bummer's bellow shook Johnny out of his shock as the hotel manager stormed into view. "Could someone _please_ explain to me why Reef, Fin, and Ben are _two hours late_ for punch-in?" he fumed. "And where is Broseph? He's supposed to be helping with check-ins!"

Emma gulped. "I-I just asked him to watch the boards for me, sir!"

"Well, where is he?" Bummer snapped, looking around…before his tone turned panicked. "_And where is the Duke Hanale board?_"

"W-_What?_" Emma cried, her eyes darting to the empty space where the board should have been. "It…it was right there, a few minutes ago!"

Bummer was just as panicked. "Oh, God…the hotel's reputation will _never_ recover if we let that board get damaged!" he wailed. "I have to report to Mr. Ridgemount about the exhibit; I'll stall him for as long as I can, so _find that board!_"

As Bummer raced off, Emma was in full freak-out mode. "Oh God, oh God, oh God…" she murmured. "J-Johnny, what do we _do?_"

Johnny's hands were blurring over his computer-console. "There's still no sign of Reef, Fin, Lo, _or_ Ben! We'd better find them; we'll need to cover the entire hotel as fast as we can!" he exclaimed. "We also need to find Broseph; he may have seen something!"

"Okay!" Emma agreed. "That should be easy; if he's not at work, he's usually surfing…"

Her statement stopped dead in its tracks, her wide-eyed expression matching Johnny's, as they both came to the same conclusion at the same time.

"_BROSEPH!_"

XXXXXXXX

_Unknown island_

"Ugh, _REEF!_ That's not the kind of material we need! No _wonder_ your last lean-to sucked out loud!"

Frowning, Reef tossed the thin sticks he'd been gathering aside at Fin's remark. "Oh, like you can do better?"

Fin snorted, as she held up a mid-sized branch. "As a matter of fact, yes!"

Reef rolled his eyes, standing up to follow her. "Whatever."

"Okay, seriously, Reef, _when_ are you going to admit it?" Fin asked, taking a step towards a shallow pool. "Girls are _just_ as capable as…"

Glancing ahead, Reef's eyebrows shot up to his hairline, before he sprinted after her. "_WHOA!_"

Reef's hand on her elbow stopped Fin in mid-step…putting a murderous glare on her face. "Put that hand somewhere _else_, kook, or you're going to _lose_ it."

"Be happy to," Reef answered, "just as long as you put that _foot_ somewhere else, or you'll _wish_ you'd lost it."

Fin arched an eyebrow. "What?" she asked, looking down. "What are you talking about…" Her voice trailed off as she saw where she'd been about to step: a small drainage pool…filled with orange jellyfish. "_Oh._"

"Yeah," Reef said, letting go as Fin stepped back. "The Pacific's _full_ of those guys; they must have got stuck when the tide moved out."

Fin gulped. "Are they poisonous?"

Reef shrugged. "No worse than getting stung by a bee," he answered. "If anything, the _cure_ is worse than the sting."

"The cure?"

Reef paled. "_Trust_ me: you _don't_ want to know."

Fin blinked. "How do you know so much about jellyfish?"

Reef sighed. "My foster-folks are big-time oceanographers, okay?" he replied. "Every summer, me and my kid sister would tag along on their expeditions, and we'd get to hear them babble about whatever rare species they're studying." He met her gaze. "Long story short, I know as much _about_ fish as you do about _catching_ 'em."

Fin's eyes went wide. "Was…that a compliment?"

Reef quickly looked away. "Maybe."

"Wow," Fin replied. "Well…thanks, I guess." She scratched her head. "And for…not letting me get stung."

Reef grinned. "Cut me in on some of that fish you caught, and we'll call it even," he answered. "Y'know, provided that sea-monster hasn't eaten it, already."

Fin chuckled. "Deal!" she agreed. "I don't think that we need to worry, yet; you remember just before that sea-monster showed up? There was this big green flash right before it happened!"

Reef's eyes went wide. "Whoa…you're _right!_"

Fin nodded. "Plus, that time me, Emma, and Lo saw that huge dinosaur, right after it made tracks, we saw this _red_ flash of light!" she added. "I'm still trying to figure that one out."

Reef shuddered. "So, monsters show up on a green flash, and leave on a red one?" he asked. "What, are they following traffic-signals?"

Fin suppressed a chuckle at that. "Your guess is as good as mine."

"So we're stuck out here, in the middle of nowhere, with a sea-monster that follows traffic-lights, and no clean underwear," Reef muttered. "Great."

Fin shrugged. "Hey, that's why I just wear my swimsuit under my uniform."

Reef's eyes went wide. "Seriously?"

"Yep; I just let the ocean wash me clean."

Reef still looked dumbfounded. "Okay, if you tell anybody else I said this, I'll _so_ deny it…but that is _GENIUS!_" he exclaimed. "_Man!_ Why didn't _I_ think of that?" His expression turned forlorn. "All those wasted hours doing laundry…I could've been _surfing!_"

Fin laughed. "Uh, _thank_ you! That's what I told Emma and Lo!" she agreed, before she started to walk into the forest. "Come on, it's getting dark; we need to find something to build with."

"Okay," Reef said, "but remember: _no_ telling Ben or Lo I said that…"

Suddenly, his statement was cut off…as a flare of brilliant green light flared through the woods, a few meters ahead of them.

Fin froze in her tracks, her face pale. "D-Did you see that?"

Reef gulped. "Maybe extra underwear _would_ be a good idea, right about now…"

Crouching low, Fin started to creep further into the forest. "Come on; if we're lucky, we can get a look at this thing before it sees us!" she whispered.

"Are you _nuts?_" Reef whispered back. "This thing could take on _sharks_, and you want to go after it?"

"_We_ know _it's_ here," Fin insisted, "but _it_ doesn't know _we're_ here! If we have to be stuck on this island, I want to know what we're dealing with!"

Reef groaned. "Betty, you're crazy!" he grumbled, but he still followed her, deeper into the brush.

They had only gone a few feet when it hit them. "Holy mother of…what's that _smell?_" Fin gasped. "Did something _die?_"

"_Man!_ Not even _Ripper_ reeks like this!" Reef coughed, trying to look ahead through his burning eyeballs. "Think it's that mud-pile over there?"

Following his pointing finger, Fin glanced ahead to the large, dark-green pile of muddy mass…in time to see it _stand up._ "Reef…that isn't mud…"

Standing at its full height, the green, muddy humanoid paused, stiffening, before it turned its flame-shaped head over its shoulder, its green eyes spotting them.

Reef and Fin both froze, not daring to move.

At the sight of them, the mud-man's eyes went wide…before it turned, and bolted off.

Reef blinked. "Wait…if _it's_ the monster…why's it running away from _us?_"

Fin was one step ahead of him. "_Wait!_" she shouted, running after the mud-man. "Wait, we just want to talk to you!" The mud-man didn't listen, as it bounded away, clearing fallen logs and small hills with effortless ease, leaving Fin struggling to keep pace. Turning suddenly, the mud-monster darted behind a large tree-trunk; putting on an extra burst of speed, Fin raced to catch it, rounding the trunk…

…and finding absolutely nothing. "W-What the…where'd it go?" she exclaimed. "It was right _here!_"

Seconds later, a winded Reef caught up with her. "What…happened?"

Fin was incredulous. "It…it just up and vanished!" she replied. "I mean…what the _hell?_"

Reef took a sniff…and grimaced. "Okay, it couldn't have gone far; I'm still getting its stink!"

Sniffing, Fin suppressed the urge to hurl. "Yeah, it has to be close!" she agreed. "Okay, maybe it went _that_ way! Come on!" With that, the two of them sprinted of…missing the rustle in the low underbrush to their right.

After a few minutes, Reef and Fin emerged back onto the beach, with not a monster in sight. Sniffing the air, Fin frowned. "_Ugh,_ we lost him!"

Reef frowned as he looked around…before his expression turned dumbfounded. "Uh…Fin?"

"What?" Looking in the direction Reef was, Fin's jaw dropped open. "Oh, you have _GOT_ to be kidding me…"

XXXXXXXX

After Reef and Fin had sprinted away, the low-growing underbrush started to rustle…revealing a tuft of flame-red, leafy foliage hidden within the brush; seconds later, the red leaves erupted into a flame-shaped, green-eyed, leafy head, attached to a dark-green, muddy torso, which pulled itself out of the earth it had been hiding in.

Standing back at his full height, Swampfire grinned to himself. "Works every time!" he exclaimed, before looking around. Finding a fair-sized dry stick, he picked it up with one hand, as he released a cloud of concentrated swamp-gas from the other, igniting it and holding it over the end of the stick, lighting it easily. Sticking the unlit end back in the ground, Swampfire tapped the control-dial on his chest; with one flash of emerald light, Ben was back to normal. Picking up the improvised torch, Ben was about to go…but a small, deep blue flower caught his eye. Smiling, he reached down to pick it, before walking back to the beach.

Within minutes, he was back at their base-camp, where Lo was waiting, none the worse for wear. Seeing him, she smiled. "Hey."

"Hey," Ben greeted back, setting the torch's unlit end in the sand, before piling up the remnants of Reef's failed lean-to into a fire-pit a safe distance from Lo; once the pit was made, Ben simply lit it with the torch, and then sat back next to Lo, letting the campfire grow.

Lo shrugged. "Not bad," she said. "It's no penthouse, but…if we have to live here, I guess it's not _so_ bad."

Ben chuckled. "Glad our situation meets your approval," he quipped. "Which reminds me: I saw this in the forest, and I know it's not much, but…it made me think of you." With that, he held out the flower.

Lo gasped. "Ben, it's…it's beautiful…" She smiled. "_Thank you._"

Grinning, Ben leaned in, to very carefully weave the flower into Lo's hair, right over her other ear, parallel to her floral hair-clip. "A perfect match!" he said. "Your crown is complete, oh fair Princess!"

Lo giggled. "Thank you, kind sir!" she teased back, before her face turned rosy at her next words. "Now, your Princess decrees that this brave knight help her keep warm!"

Ben grinned. "Milady's wish is my command!" he joked, before inching closer, to loop an arm over her shoulders, feeling his own face burn as Lo leaned her head against his shoulder. '_Wow…_'

Lo sighed. "So…I guess we'd better build that signal-fire, tomorrow," she said. "Otherwise, we'll be stuck here for a long time…"

Ben grimaced as guilt flooded him, as he spared a glance towards the Omnitrix on his wrist next to Lo's shoulder; it was bad enough he had Lo, Fin, and Reef thinking there were monsters here, but now they were going to be stuck here just because he was keeping his secret from them. "Lo," he began, "I…I might have a way for us to get off the island…"

"Ben?" Lo asked, looking up at him. "Can we just…talk about that later?" She nuzzled closer to him. "It's just…really nice here, right now."

Meeting her gaze, Ben's breath froze in his throat as the fading sunlight mixed with the firelight across her skin, turning her sun-caressed skin a radiant mix of tropical oranges and reds; right now, she was so fragile, so vulnerable…and so ethereally beautiful.

His secret could wait; right now, she needed him, and he had absolutely no power to resist or deny her. "Okay," he whispered. Instantly, he was rewarded with her radiant smile, before she closed her eyes, trusting him as she leaned up to him. Drawn by her invitation, Ben leaned down, to meet her…

"Ben! Lo!"

Fin's call shattered the spell, stopping Ben and Lo's lips _millimetres_ from each other. Frowning in annoyance, Ben looked to their two friends as they came running up. "Yeah?"

Lo wasn't any happier about the interruption than Ben was. "What _is_ it?" she snapped.

Fin's face was flat. "Quick question," she said. "When you two went for firewood…which way did you go?"

Confused, Ben pointed to the east, opposite to the direction they'd came from. "That way," he answered. "Why?"

"No reason, bro," Reef answered, "except that if you'd gone the _other_ way, you'd have saved us a lot of trouble."

Lo blinked. "Okay, _what_ are you talking about?"

Fin sighed. "That rip just pulled us _around_ Sunset Island; we washed up not even one kilometer _east_ of the hotel," she muttered, pointing over her shoulder. "Surfer's Paradise is just five minutes' walking _that_ way."

Ben's eyes went wide. "You're _kidding._"

Reef shook his head. "We kid you not."

Lo's mouth fell open. "We're…_not_ stranded?" A smile spread across her face. "_We're NOT stranded!_ We're _saved!_ We can go home!" she squealed. "We can go home and I can go back to the _penthouse! EEEEEEEEE!_"

Ben chuckled nervously. "Wow…sorry about that, guys."

"Apologize later; right now, we need to get back!" Fin exclaimed. "We're _hours_ late for our shifts!"

Ben nodded. "You guys take Lo to the hotel infirmary; I'll stay to put out the fire and grab our boards."

"Okay," Lo agreed, smiling shyly. "Just…don't take _too_ long, okay?"

Ben smiled back. "Sure." With that, Reef and Fin walked over to Lo, kneeling down to loop one of her arms over each of their shoulders, and then standing up, helping her walk back to the hotel, while Ben got up and retrieved his board, flipping it long-side down into the sand, to use it as an improvised bulldozer, pushing sand up around the fire-pit and smothering the flames. With the fire doused, Ben started towards the others' boards…but he paused as he glanced out at the waves. '_Hey…is that Broseph?_' His eyes went wide. '_Is that Broseph on the DUKE HANALE BOARD?_'

And then he spotted a familiar shape behind him. '_Oh, CRAP!_' Dropping his board, he dove into the incoming surf, popping up the Omnitrix's control-dial and selecting a familiar shape…

XXXXXXXX

_A few minutes earlier_

"So, we were just a few minutes away from the hotel, all this time?"

As her two friends helped her hobble along the beach, just coming into view of the resort, Lo was still incredulous. "We were going to try and build a campsite and a signal fire, and then scavenge for food…when we were practically _next door?_"

"Pretty much," Fin said.

Lo's eyes narrowed. "And you couldn't have just _waited_ five freaking _SECONDS_ to tell us that?"

Fin arched an eyebrow. "Why? Did we interrupt something?"

Lo could only blush in response.

Reef grinned. "So, States made his move, huh? Nice!"

"_GUYS!_"

Looking ahead, Lo saw an out-of-breath Emma race up to them, followed by a winded Johnny. "Please tell me…you've seen…Broseph…just now!" Emma puffed out.

"Emma, we haven't seen _anyone_, all afternoon!" Fin replied. "You guys are the first people we've seen!"

Looking around, Reef arched an eyebrow. "Hey…isn't that him?"

Looking out at the surf, Lo spotted Broseph on the waves…riding on the _Duke Hanale Board!_ "_WHAT?_" she shrieked. "What is he _doing_ on that board?"

Emma looked stricken. "He must have taken it while I was in the bathroom!" she lamented. "If he damages it, we're dead!"

Lo went ghost-white. "I'm _deader!_" she agreed, before yelling out over the waves. "_BROSEPH!_ Get your butt and that board back here _NOW!_" Looking up, Broseph glanced towards the beach…at which point a rogue wave upended him, sending him toppling into the drink. Coughing, Broseph swam back to the surface, clinging to the legendary board…and never spotting the trio of tell-tale dorsal-fins that were closing on him from behind…

Emma's eyebrows shot up past her hairline in utter horror. "_Broseph, watch out! SHARKS!_"

And then, they saw the emerald flash.

As the green light faded beneath the water, Lo spotted a familiar shadow under the surface, darting towards Broseph at torpedo-speeds, before going deeper; by then, the sharks were practically on top of their friend, starting to dive deep…only to get blasted out of the water one-by-one, K.O.'d by something _far_ deadlier than they were. Seconds later, the fish-thing leapt up out of the water, extending two scaly legs from his fish-tail, to land on the Duke Hanale board perfectly. As the next wave – a _big_ one – started to roll in, the fish-monster reached down and grabbed Broseph, tossing him over his shoulder in a fireman's carry, before catching the wave, riding it out.

Reef paled. "Okay…that is _officially_ the freakiest thing I've ever seen!"

Fin gulped. "I _hear_ you!" she agreed. "I don't know what's spookier: the fact that there's a _sea-monster_ out there, shredding on that board…or the fact that he isn't doing that bad!"

Lo could only nod at that – monster or not, this thing was rippin' it up, out there. The monster quickly cut back along the wave, keeping its balance along the shifting current, before darting up past the whitecap, executing a perfect 360-nosegrab spin, and landing, to let the current carry him, the board, and Broseph to shore.

As the monster set Broseph back on his feet, the bewildered grom could only stare as it picked up the board, looked it over…and handed it back to him. "Nice board."

Broseph managed to work his jaw as he took the board back. "Uh…thanks, bro."

The fish-thing's beady eyes narrowed at him in annoyance. "I'd keep it in its case, though," it warned, its voice a low hiss. "You might damage it."

"Uh…right." Before Broseph could say anything else, a red light started flashing from a dial on the thing's chest; instantly, the thing raced back out into the sea, disappearing as it ran into the incoming waves.

Still staring out into the waves, Broseph almost didn't notice as the other groms raced up beside him. "You okay, man?" Johnny asked.

Broseph blinked. "That…was…_GIGANTIC!_" he whooped. "Dudes, did you just _see_ that? Did you _see_ those mad moves that thing just pulled? _EPIC!_"

Emma chuckled. "He's okay."

Broseph nodded. "I _totally_ get it now, bros! These monsters are showing up for the _monster_ waves out there! They just wanna shred, like us!"

Reef rolled his eyes. "_Riiiiiiiiight._"

Lo looked stricken. "Who _cares_ about that?" she cried. "We've got to get that board back _now,_ or Daddy'll have _all_ our butts in a sling!"

Nodding, Johnny took the board from Broseph. "You heard her, guys! We need to _move!_" With that, he sprinted back towards the hotel, followed by Broseph and Emma, while Reef and Fin helped Lo hobble after them.

By the time Reef, Fin, and Lo had caught up, Johnny, Emma, and Broseph had gotten the Duke Hanale board back in its case, _just_ as Mr. Ridgemount, Kai, and Bummer emerged from the elevator. "Sir, I am _telling_ you: the Duke Hanale Vintage Balsam Board is missing!" Kai insisted. "I came by five minutes ago, and it was gone!"

Bummer laughed nervously. "Mr. Ridgemount, I assure you, it's perfectly fine!" he said, his eyes darting around. "See? It's in its case, safe and sound!"

His eyes going wide, Kai darted over, looking over the board. "Huh…it looks okay…"

James frowned. "Alright, what's going on here?" he demanded.

Emma thought fast. "We…we had to take the Duke Hanale board down for a few minutes, sir!" she said. "I noticed a little dust on it, so I gave it a quick polish! _That's_ why it was out of its case!"

James arched an eyebrow. "Lauren? Why was Miss Mackenzie taking care of _your_ exhibit?"

Lo smiled helplessly. "Because I put her in charge, Daddy!"

"And _why_ did you do that?"

Lo gulped. "Uh…well…"

"It was my fault, sir."

Turning towards the entrance, everyone saw Ben walk in, setting down the surfboards he'd been carrying. "Lo and I were out catching waves; I asked her to come with me."

James' eyes narrowed. "Well, Benjamin, I must say I'm _very_ surprised to hear…"

"_No_, Daddy!" Lo cried. "No, no, _no!_ It _wasn't_ Ben's fault! Ben had just asked me to go surfing with him on our _lunch-break_, that's all! We were going to come right back afterwards, but then we met up with Reef and Fin, and then we got caught on a rip and got pulled out to sea! When we paddled back, we thought we were on some deserted island, even though we'd only just drifted along the shore! The three of us were close to panicking, but Ben got us organized long enough to realize we weren't stranded!" She held out her foot for emphasis. "He even helped patch up my ankle when I twisted it!"

James' eyes went wide. "Holy…are you okay, sweetheart?"

Lo nodded. "I am, but I wouldn't have been, if it wasn't for Ben!"

"I see," James said. "Well, considering that, along with the fact that there was no harm done, I suppose I can let it slide." He turned to Bummer. "Wouldn't you say so, Andrew?"

Bummer sighed, likely bummed that he wouldn't be able to dish out a strike. "I suppose so, sir."

"Good." James looked back to his daughter. "You'd better have the nurse at the infirmary take a look at that ankle, honey, and be sure to take it easy at work, tomorrow."

Lo wilted. '_So much for getting back in the penthouse._' "I will, Daddy."

As Mr. Ridgemount and Bummer headed off, Kai scratched his head. "Whoa…sorry about that, dudes."

Broseph shrugged. "No problem, bro; it's all good."

Glancing to Lo, Kai smiled. "So…you still want to hang out, sometime?"

Ben frowned. "_Dude._ She just _twisted_ her _ankle!_" he snapped. "Do you think she's _up_ to hanging out, right now?"

"Uh, _yeah!_" Lo agreed. "Inconsiderate, much?"

Kai blinked in surprise, before he shrugged. "Whatever." With that, he walked off.

Lo rolled her eyes. "_Ugh;_ total Type One!"

Ben arched an eyebrow. "Huh?"

Lo blushed. "Nothing!" she said quickly. "Anyway…thanks for trying to take the heat off me."

Ben grinned. "Thanks for taking the heat off _me,_" he replied. "So…need help getting to the infirmary?"

"A little."

Reef and Fin both smiled knowingly. "We were just gonna grab a few waves; right, Chowderhead?"

Reef grinned back. "You know it, ugly." With that, they both eased Lo's arms off their shoulders, allowing her to loop one arm around Ben's shoulders, before walking off.

Emma giggled. "I think I'll go catch some waves, too!"

Johnny nodded. "Likewise!" With that, they headed after Reef and Fin.

Ben chuckled. "Like you said: subtle."

Lo smiled. "They try."

_Awesome waves out there, bros…_

Lo and Ben both froze at that. "Did…did you hear something?" Lo asked.

Ben nodded. "Who said that?"

"Whoa…you heard it too, bros?"

Lo had almost forgotten Broseph was still there; as she and Ben turned, they found him staring at the Duke Hanale board. "I thought that board would be done talking, by now…"

Lo blinked. "You're saying the _board_ said that?"

"Yeah, bra; why'd you think I took it for a spin?" Broseph asked. "It said the waves would be awesome!" He grinned. "And it was _right!_"

"Uh-huh," Ben said. "Well, why don't you go catch some more, before that board gives you any _more_ ideas?"

"Good call, bro; swiping stuff is _bad_ karma. Later!" With that, Broseph headed out.

Lo arched an eyebrow. "Talking surfboards. Wow."

Ben shrugged. "Only at _this_ hotel," he remarked, before they continued on…

…and just as they were about to leave, Lo heard the voice again; it was still creepy, but _these_ words brought a smile to her face.

_Totally hooked-up…_

XXXXXXXX

The sun was starting to dip lower over the beach as the five groms raced into the surf, boards at the ready; on the beach itself, tourists had gathered, intrigued by the sighting of yet another mysterious creature, eagerly looking out to sea, to try and catch a glimpse of it.

No-one was looking at the sand itself…nor at the long-haired British man, in plain red swim-shorts as he walked along the sand, looking down through a high-tech device, illuminating the traces of human footprints…and then one that _wasn't_ human.

_Analyzing…done; Piscciss Volann DNA detected._

Looking at his scanner's readout, the man smiled, before switching on his communicator. "Forever One calling Men-at-Arms; converge on my location." His next words held a chill.

"Tennyson is _here._"

XXXXXXXX

_**Omnitrix Database**_

_**File-name: **__Ripjaws_

_**Species-name:**__ Piscciss Volann_

_**Home planet:**__ Piscciss_

_**Abilities:**__ Subject is capable of living and respiring underwater indefinitely and at any depth; there are no known upper limits to subject's deep-sea depth tolerance. Subject can swim at speeds in excess of 120 knots; retractable skeleton allows for locomotion on land. Subject's cranial-growth can emit light through chemoluminescence, enabling subject to see in darker waters. Subject also possesses terrestrial lungs, but these rapidly dehydrate outside of contact with water; subject's land-based survivability is extremely limited, and can perish within five minutes' of exposure. Subject's teeth are extremely sharp; subject also possesses extremely dense jaw-muscles, allowing subject to bite through almost any known structural materials. Subject possesses slightly above-average strength, and is relatively fragile when out of water._

_**Description:**__ Arising from the water-world of Piscciss, the Piscciss Volann evolved much like any other water-dweller; much like the sharks of Earth, it has never needed to evolve beyond its current state. The unchallenged supreme marine predator of its birth-world, the Piscciss Volann can catch prey at any depth, be it in the brightest blues of the surface-region, or in the deepest darks near Piscciss' solid core. Maintaining a relatively simple existence, the Piscciss Volann has had little contact with other societies beyond its world, due to its inability to survive outside of water for any extended length of time; the first encounter between the Piscciss Volann and galactic society occurred when a Plumber vessel crash-landed on Piscciss, and the chief engineer later noted that a bite had been taken out of the hull. Despite this, the Piscciss Volann is fairly intelligent, and is capable of communication with other species, but, barring several exceptions, is uninterested in leaving its domain; the Plumbers have had some success in modifying rebreather-suits to accommodate the Piscciss Volann outside of its environment. Further studies of Piscciss suggest that its core's mass cannot sustain the gravity needed to confine its ocean to the planet, and a type of artificial gravity-generator is in use; the validity of these claims has yet to be determined._

_**File-name:**__ Swampfire_

_**Species-name:**__ Methanosian_

_**Home planet:**__ Methanos_

_**Abilities:**__ Subject consists of sentient plant-matter bonded to peat-material containing chemosynthetic bacteria; bacteria fix inorganic compounds into usable organic nutrients, releasing gaseous methane as a by-product, while plant-matter hydrates and protects bacterial colony. This ability renders subject immune to many known pollutants. By harnessing methane gas, subject can ignite gas by means of a special enzyme in short bursts as a defensive weapon, or in long bursts for short-range flight; subject can also release gas as a passive defense, repelling any predators with functioning olfactory glands. Subject also possesses regenerative capability beyond any known scope, and can regenerate entire limbs and organs unaided. Bacterial colony can release gaseous parasitic spores, enabling subject to control any known plant-life, excepting its own species. Subject can generate rapidly germinating seed-pods to give rise to defensive foliage, and root itself into the ground to hide. Subject possesses strength well above average, and has limited ability to repair injuries sustained by other sentients._

_**Description:**__ Once an idyllic planet, Methanos was reduced to a toxic swampland by trans-galactic dumping. While most plant-life died, one plant-species survived, eventually giving rise to the Methanosian race. With their ability to metabolize inorganic compounds considered toxic to many plant and animal species, the Methanosians managed to gradually detoxify their homeworld, upon which they discovered the vessel used to dump waste on their planet; after learning how to operate the vessel's sub-space communicator, the Methanosians promptly contacted the Plumbers. Exposure of the galactic dumping-ring soon followed, effectively bringing the Methanosians into the fold._

_Today, the Methanosian people are proud members of galactic society. Sought after by many in the waste-disposal industry, many Methanosians also work in law-enforcement, especially in the Plumber organization._

XXXXXXXX

_Author's Note: My apologies for being a little late in updating, but my final exams are coming up, so the next few chapters may be a little late, too; please bear with me! Thanks for understanding!_

_Coming Soon (back by popular demand!):_

_Their differences (mostly) resolved, Ben and Lo are anxious to hook up…_

…_if they can only find the time._

_When they both get saddled with babysitting duty, our new favourite almost-couple both think they've finally got their chance, but have they bitten off more than they can chew?_

_And with Reef's discovery on Office grounds, his luck takes a turn for the worse…_

…_but with Fin hot on the "monsters'" tail, he may not be the only one._

_Can Ben keep his secret under wraps?_

_Find out, in "Tiny Terrors, Evil Idols, and Surfer Secrets," coming to your computer soon…_


	7. Tiny Terrors, Evil Idols, Surfer Secrets

CHAPTER SEVEN: TINY TERRORS, EVIL IDOLS, AND SURFER-SECRETS

_The Office, July 17, 2010_

"Okay, this _sucks._"

The very second the sun had risen over Surfer's Paradise, Ben, Reef, Broseph, and Johnny had donned their surf-gear, grabbed their boards, and raced to the Office…only to find a completely _flat_ ocean, with not a wave in sight.

Grimacing, Ben could only agree with Reef's statement. "Got that right, man."

Johnny nodded. "I've never _seen_ it this flat, before," he sighed. "I was looking forward to grabbing a few waves before work, too…"

Broseph chuckled. "You like wiping out that much, bro?"

Johnny frowned. "Hey, I've been kicking it on the Office a _lot_ longer than you two have!"

"So then what gives, bra?" Reef asked. "Every time you shred with us, you're falling all over yourself, out there!"

Noting Johnny's harried expression, Ben grinned. "Dudes, isn't it obvious? It's _Emma_ that's throwing him off!"

Broseph's eyebrows shot up past his 'fro. "Dude…are you serious?"

Johnny sighed. "And the secret's out," he lamented. "Yeah; every time I see her out there, I get all goofy-eyed, lose my concentration, and take a dip."

Reef laughed. "_Dude!_ You mean…you lose your stoke because of a _chick?_"

Johnny arched an eyebrow. "Says the guy who's hung up on Fin."

Reef stopped laughing. "Shut up."

Broseph grinned, glancing towards Ben. "So, any progress with Lo, bro?"

Ben shrugged. "A little, though not much."

Reef flinched. "Cold shoulder, dude? _Ouch._"

Ben shook his head. "That's not it," he said. "Lo twisted her _ankle_, remember? She needs to take it easy." He sighed. "Plus, whenever we both _do_ have time, either I'm getting flagged down by Bummer for room-service, or she's getting bossed around by Kelly to wash dishes!"

Johnny sighed. "Man, that's rough." He glanced back at the water. "That still doesn't solve our wave-problem; what are we supposed to do now?"

Looking around, Reef grinned as his gaze settled on the waterfall. "I think I got an idea…"

Ben gulped. "Uh-oh."

Broseph grimaced. "Those are _dangerous_, dude."

"Funny." Reef's grin never wavered. "_Cliff-diving!_ Last one up's a crusty barnacle!"

As their fellow surfer sprinted off, racing up the path to the top of the waterfall, Ben, Johnny, and Broseph ran after him, reaching the small plateau overlooking the waterfall seconds after he did. "Ha! First up!" Reef crowed. "Once again, the Reefster reigns supre – _AAACCK!_"

With one misstep, Reef's boasts turned to screams of terror as the ground collapsed beneath him, sending him tumbling into a mid-sized pit. Quickly, Ben and the others raced to the edge of the pit. "Reef! You okay?" Ben called out.

Groaning, Reef got to his feet. "Yeah, bros, I think I'm…_whoa!_" Spotting a mysterious sparkle, he scrambled to a small indentation in the pit's wall, before reaching in, and pulling out a small, stone idol, with tiny gems for eyes. "Dudes, check it!" he exclaimed, holding up the idol. "Look what I found!"

Broseph's eyes went wide. "_Dude!_ I think that's a Haida Totem!" he exclaimed. "I heard the Haida used to live around here, long ago; this must be one of their burial grounds!"

Climbing up out of the pit, Reef's grin widened. "Sweet!" he exclaimed, pulling the drawstring out of his swim-shorts and looping it through the idol's nostrils, before tying it around his neck. "I was looking for something to add to the Reefster's look! Whaddya think?"

Johnny frowned. "I think the Reefster had better put it back," he warned. "Seriously, man; that's kinda like _stealing._"

Ben nodded, as his eyes narrowed. "I think the technical term is _grave-robbing._"

"Oh, come _on!_ You think some Haida ghost-guy is all flavoured just 'cause I found one little trinket?" Reef asked. "Finders, keepers, dudes!"

Broseph looked worried. "I don't know, man; swiping stuff from the dead is _major_ bad-karma," he murmured.

"Pfft! Whatever!" Reef scoffed, walking away. "You dudes are being major _babies;_ nothing's gonna – _WHHHOOOAAAARRRGGGHHH!_"

Once again, Reef's voice dropped into a howl of alarm, as another patch of ground collapsed, sending him stumbling over the waterfall, dunking him into the pond below. "I'm okay!"

Johnny chuckled dryly. "Nothing's gonna happen, huh?"

Broseph grinned, as he raced towards the waterfall. "_Cannonball!_" he whooped, leaping off into the water below. His enthusiasm was contagious, as Ben and Johnny followed suit, leaping off into the pond below.

After walking out of the pond, Johnny noticed that the sun was starting to climb higher. "Guess we'd better get back."

As they started to walk off, Ben paused, noticing a small cave directly behind the waterfall. "You guys go on ahead," he said, walking towards it. "I'll catch up later." While the others headed back to the staff-house, Ben walked around the waterfall, kneeling down to the cave's mouth, where the water from the stream was trickling in, to look inside. "Wow…" he murmured, glancing about the cave in the dim light. He was just about to go, but then the rising sun sent a beam directly inside, lighting it up. "_Wow…_"

XXXXXXXX

After he, Broseph, and Reef had reached the staff-house, Johnny quickly made a beeline for the bathroom, grabbing a quick shower before donning his uniform. Stepping out, he started to head back downstairs…but he heard a faint beeping from Ben, Reef, and Broseph's room.

Confused, Johnny peeked around the door. "Hello?" Only silence answered him, with no-one in sight. The other guys had left their stuff piled around their bunks; Reef's bunk was a mess, Broseph's was a _HAZMAT_ site, and Ben's was relatively tidy, with his green jacket draped over his bunk…as a blinking green light pulsed from within it. Feeling a chill grip his spine, Johnny's curiosity overcame his unease; inching towards the jacket, he lifted it up…

As the jacket turned over in his hand, something fell out of its pocket: a small, hand-sized metal disc, grey on the back side, and black on the front, surrounding a bright green hourglass-crest, blinking regularly. His confusion growing, Johnny picked it up. '_What on Earth…_'

The second he started to look at it, the disc popped open, its sides extending out, revealing a small video-screen behind the hourglass, crackling with green static, with several buttons underneath it. Seconds later, a voice came through the screen. "_Ben? Ben, are you there?_"

Johnny nearly jumped out of his shorts.

"_Ben?_" the female voice asked again. "_Why have you got your badge's video-feed off? Is everything okay?_"

His face paling, Johnny backed up, happening to glance out the window…where he saw Ben walking up the trail towards the staff-house! Frantically, he started pressing buttons, trying to turn it off…

"_Seriously, Ben, quit clowning around! Say something!_" the voice insisted. "_Okay, fine, BE a dweeb! Kevin and I are on our way up; Grandpa and the Plumbers have gotten a fix on the Forever…_"

…and then Johnny finally hit the right combination of buttons, causing the disc to shut off, retracting back into itself. Stuffing the disc back into Ben's jacket, he tossed it back onto Ben's cot, before darting out…and coming face-to-face with Ben.

Seeing his nervous expression, Ben arched an eyebrow. "Everything okay, Johnny?"

"H-Huh? Oh, s-sure!" Johnny exclaimed, faking a grin. "Just…wanted to remind you to get to work on time! Can't be late!"

Ben blinked. "Oh…kay…" he said. "So…can I go get changed now?"

"Sure! Go ahead!" Quickly moving out of Ben's way, Johnny darted downstairs, wiping the sweat from his brow the minute he was out of sight. '_THAT was close…_'

Remembering what had just transpired, Johnny felt his unease return full-force. '_Okay, what the hell WAS that thing?_' he thought. '_Was that…some kind of cell-phone?_'

Feeling himself go pale, Johnny glanced back upstairs…as he started to wonder if the hotel's newest employee was more than he seemed…

XXXXXXXX

_Surfer's Paradise_

"Can you believe Reef and Fin still haven't kissed yet? _So_ impending!"

With the last of the breakfast dishes finally cleared away, Lo took a moment to sit down, resting her gauze-wrapped ankle. Leaning against a table across from her, Emma grinned knowingly. "I know, right?" she agreed. "And speaking of smooching, have you and Ben kissed yet?

Lo felt her face go rosy. "Well…it's not like we've had the chance," she answered. "I mean, I was bedridden for yesterday morning, and then it was back to work for Komodo Kelly! She is such a total slave-driver! And then when I finally _do_ get a break, Bummer puts Ben on hall-sitting duty! _Ugh!_"

Emma giggled. "You two could have made out during that morning…"

"Make out in the Roach Motel? _ICK!_"

Glancing over her shoulder, Emma's smile grew. "Well, you might just get your chance!" Following her friend's gaze, Lo's blush grew as she saw Ben walk in.

Seeing them, Ben waved, his smile softening as his emerald gaze met hers. "Hey," he greeted. "How's your ankle?"

"It's okay, I guess," Lo replied. "Still, Kelly's keeping us both hopping."

"I kinda figured that," Ben said. "Listen, I just need to pick up Room 1105's room-service order…"

"That might be a little while," Emma answered. "The chef's still prepping the lunch-menu."

Lo nodded. "We were just killing time by guessing when Fin and Reef are going to kiss."

Ben chuckled. "I wouldn't hold my breath on that one."

"Hey, you never know!" Emma said. "They might realize they're perfect for…"

"Hey, Gossip Girls! _Not_ getting paid to chatter!" came Kelly's voice as the DR supervisor walked into view, fixing Ben with a glare as she saw him. "Tennyson."

Ben folded his arms. "Kelly."

Kelly's glare grew. "Butt into anybody else's business, lately?"

Ben arched an eyebrow. "Torture any puppies, lately?"

As Emma and Lo suppressed giggles, Kelly scowled. "Oh, _ouch!_ I am _so_ not going to the prom with you!"

Ben snorted. "Well, boo hoo; I'm gonna cry myself to _sleep._"

At that, Kelly's eyes narrowed in fury, but that was quickly replaced by a friendly smile as she saw Bummer walk in. "Hi, boss!" she chirped, zipping over. "Can we help you?"

Lo mimed making gag-noises, causing Emma to giggle.

"One of our child-sitters just went on psych-leave," Bummer said. "We need someone to watch the Finnegan kids; can you spare anyone?"

Lo recognized the evil glint in Kelly's eye. '_No, no, no! Please, please, PLEASE don't say my name..!_'

"I can spare…_Lo!_" Kelly exclaimed, smiling slyly. "Why, I don't even think we'll notice she's gone!"

"Then it's settled!" Bummer said. "Lo, consider yourself transferred!"

"_No!_" Lo cried. "Sir, I'm a _terrible_ choice! I don't even _like_ kids! With my ankle like it is, they'd run circles around me!"

Kelly's evil grin grew darker. "You know, she's right, sir!" she exclaimed. "Sending an untrained, injured serving-wench into kiddie-territory is just _asking_ for trouble!"

"Well, that's all we _can_ do, Kelly; we can't spare _two_ serving-wenches."

"No," Kelly agreed, "but how about one wench and one bellhop? _Tennyson_ isn't doing anything!"

Ben's eyes went wide. "Huh?" he murmured. "I was just…"

"Uh, don't care! Bye!" With that, Kelly promptly shoved the two of them towards the exit.

As Bummer motioned for them to follow him, Ben could only smile helplessly at Lo. "Okay, I know we were trying to get a little time together," he said, "but I somehow doubt this was what you had in mind."

Feeling her face go rosy, Lo smiled back. "Hey, it's only a couple of kids, right?" she asked. "How hard could it be?"

Ben chuckled. "I'm sure that's what Grandpa said, that time Gwen and I vacationed with him…"

XXXXXXXX

"Tennyson! Ridgemount! Front and center!"

Hearing Bummer's bellow, Ben, in his jeans, t-shirt, and jacket, strode out into the lobby, followed by Lo, in her sundress – Bummer had barely given them enough time to get changed out of their uniforms. "You called, sir?" Ben asked, causing Lo to suppress a giggle.

Bummer frowned, before gesturing to Mrs. Finnegan, in a bathrobe, standing behind her two daughters – Erica had donned a light violet t-shirt and dark purple shorts, while Briana wore a simple blue sundress. "Mrs. Finnegan, these are the two child-sitters I was telling you about!" he said. Looking down to the kids, he smiled. "Girls, these are Ben and Lo, your new sitters!"

Lo smiled nervously. "Hey…there…"

Erica glared suspiciously at her. "Are you trained in first-aid?"

Lo blinked. "Am I…what?"

Mrs. Finnegan chuckled nervously. "Of _course_ she is, honey!" she exclaimed, before looking to Ben and Lo. "Now, no junk-food for Erica; she's on a diet."

Ben nodded. "Got it, ma'am; candy-bars, jelly-beans, and Choco-Bonkies are _off_ limits."

As Erica scowled, her mother gestured to Briana. "And no shopping for Bree; we're trying to get her to stick to an allowance."

Lo's eyes went wide. "No _shopping?_" she cried. "Wow. Sucks to be you."

At that, Briana glared at Lo, before smiling at Ben, her face going pink. "H-Hi, Ben…"

Ben grinned, waving back. "Hey." As he watched Mrs. Finnegan walk off, he turned to Bummer. "So just the two of them, right? I think we can manage."

"I hope you can!" Bummer answered. "Because I wasn't done!" He looked towards the aquarium. "Boys!"

Following his gaze, both Ben and Lo _froze._ "Oh, no…" Lo murmured. "Oh, _no, no, no, no, no, no, no!_"

Ben gulped. "It's official: God _hates_ us."

At Bummer's call, the Marvin twins scampered over. "Todd, Mark, these are your new sitters," Bummer said.

Mark smiled gleefully at Lo. "We made you drop your tray when we blew up all those hot-dogs!"

Lo folded her arms, her eyes narrowed crossly. "I remember."

Ben inched towards Bummer, lowering his voice. "Uh, sir? Not to complain or anything…but didn't the Marvin family kind of…_check out?_"

Bummer's expression mirrored Ben's. "Believe me, Tennyson, I'm not happy about it, either," he groused. "But the Marvins paid extra for their new reservation when their old one cancelled on them; what was I supposed to do?"

Lo rolled her eyes. "They got kicked out of their other hotel?" she muttered. "I wonder why?"

"That doesn't matter right now!" Bummer said with a smirk. "What's important now, Ms. Ridgemount, is that, if you mess this up, you answer to your father! Have fun!" With that, he walked off.

Taking a deep breath, Ben managed a smile. "Okay!" he said. "Well, guys, how about we all head out to the beach and get some fresh air?"

Todd frowned. "No way!" he replied. "You're not our regular babysitter, so we don't have to do _anything_ you say!" With that, he started to walk off.

Lo looked stricken at that, but Ben thought fast – dropping into his best old-style cowboy-moseying posture, he moved his hands down to his pockets, flexing his fingers as if for a fast draw, as he summoned the best John-Wayne impression he had. "Them's _fightin'_ words, pilgrim. _Draw._"

His eyes going wide, Todd stopped, turning around. "Huh?"

"You heard me, buster: Funny Faces at Ten Paces," Ben drawled. "First one to fall on his keister laughin' loses. You win, you can go about your business. I win, you hush up and stay put. Clear?"

Todd blinked. "Uh…"

Mark laughed. "Do it, Todd! Just give him Old Faceful!"

Todd grinned slyly. "You're on!"

"Dandy." Ben's eyes narrowed. He glanced to Lo. "Hope you wouldn't mind countin' to three, l'il lady."

Lo giggled. "Not at all!" she replied. "Okay…one…two…_three!_"

At that last count, Todd let loose "Old Faceful," stretching his mouth to its widest with his fingers, sticking out his tongue as he crossed his eyes…

…while Ben unsheathed the Widowmaker.

Todd had only crossed Ben's gaze for a fraction of a second before he burst out laughing, falling flat on his rear. The other three kids weren't far behind, guffawing uncontrollably as they dropped, holding their sides.

As Ben's face relaxed, Lo chuckled. "Wow."

"Yep; the Widowmaker strikes again."

Still giggling, Briana got to her feet. "That…that was so _funny!_"

"What can I say? It's never failed me yet!" Ben replied. "So, you kids ready to head to the beach, or do I have to use it again?"

Managing to calm his guffaws, Todd pouted. "Okay."

"Good." Ben was about to head towards the beach, but then his phone started to ring, prompting him to check it: it was Gwen. "Actually, Lo, could you go on ahead with them? I kinda need to take this call."

"Okay," Lo answered. "Let's go, kids!" With that, she and their four young charges headed out of the hotel.

With the coast clear, Ben flipped open his phone. "Hey, Gwen."

"_Hey!_" Gwen's voice called back. "_So, you're finally talking to me?_"

Ben blinked. "Huh?"

"_I got a signal from your Plumber's badge, this morning,_" Gwen continued. "_I tried talking to you, but you didn't answer! What gives?_"

"Gwen…I haven't touched my badge since I got here."

Gwen paused. "_You haven't?_" she asked. "_But…I know we got a signal from it…_"

"Well, I never switched it on," Ben said. "Maybe I bumped it when I was getting changed, this morning."

"_Maybe,_" Gwen murmured. "_Anyway, the reason I called was to tell you we had good news and bad news. The good news is that Grandpa and the Plumbers have finally gotten a fix on the Forever Knights._"

"Hey, that's great!" Ben exclaimed. "So where are they?"

"_That's the bad news,_" Gwen murmured. "_They're __**on**__ Sunset Island, Ben; they've been tracked to within 5 miles of the hotel!_"

Ben paled. "_What?_ How could they have tracked me so fast?"

Gwen's tone was dry. "_Oh, gee, I don't know! I mean, it's not like there've been a rash of strange creature-sightings all over the island!_"

Ben slapped his forehead. "Okay, okay, fine! I'm a doofus!" he groaned. "So what do I do?"

"_Nothing, right now!_" Gwen replied. "_Kevin and I are on our way up; we're on the road as we speak! We should be there in a day or two! In the meantime, just PLEASE keep a low profile!_"

A snort echoed in the background. "_Yeah, like that's going to happen._"

At the sound of their friend's voice, Ben chuckled. "Nice to hear you too, Kevin."

"_Yeah, whatever._"

Gwen sighed. "_Hang on; I'll put you on speaker-phone._" There was a momentary shift – Gwen was plugging her phone into Kevin's car. "_So, how have you been?_"

Ben grinned. "Better," he said. "I think I'm finally out of my funk."

Kevin chuckled. "_Took you long enough,_" he quipped. "_I guess there is something to be said for hanging around surfer-chicks in bikinis, 24/7. So, score any yet?_"

"_KEVIN!_"

Despite Gwen's shout, Ben suppressed a laugh. "News flash, Levin: I don't kiss and tell."

Kevin's smirk was all but audible. "_He's hooked up with someone; I knew it._"

Ben rolled his eyes. "Look, can we talk later? I'm on babysitting duty," he said. "Which reminds me: do either of you know anything to do with kids?"

"_Well, Grandpa always said he had to keep us busy on vacation,_" Gwen offered. "_Just plan lots of things for them to do; that should work!_"

"Like what?"

Kevin spoke next. "_Well, when I was a kid, I used to go explode old paint-cans in alleys; that was always good for a laugh._"

Ben groaned. "Anything we could do that _wouldn't_ get us arrested?"

"_Nope. Sorry._"

"Swell," Ben sighed. "In that case, I'm on my own. Thanks."

"_Anytime._"

XXXXXXXX

By the time his break came around, Johnny was borderline famished; taking a walk out to the Snack Shack, he found Reef lounging by the counter, still bearing his totem-pendant. "So, you've still got that thing."

Reef grinned. "You know it, bro!" he replied, tapping the tiny idol. "This thing'll make me a chick-magnet!"

The very moment he said that, a seagull flew by overhead…and dropped a present on Reef's head.

Johnny choked back a snort of laughter. "Oh, yeah; and if that doesn't work, your new choice of hair-products will!" he chuckled. "Still convinced that thing's good luck?"

"Please; seagulls dropping bombs on my head is nothing new," Reef grumbled, doing his best to wipe down his hair. "I'm convinced it's just _one_ seagull that's out to get me…"

Fin's laugh interrupted him as she walked over, in her tankini, her surfboard in hand. "The wildlife's out to get you, kook?" she teased. "Now I've heard everything!"

Reef shrugged. "Yeah, whatever. I can deal."

It was then that Fin noticed Reef's new bling. "Nice pendant."

Reef smirked. "Oh, yeah; it's a genuine Haida totem."

"Cool." Hefting her board under her arm, Fin turned to go. "I'm gonna go catch one last wave. Later."

As Fin walked off, Reef grinned. "Oh, yeah! Chick _magnet!_"

"Uh-huh." Johnny's tone turned serious. "Reef, listen…you and Broseph bunk with Ben, right? Have you guys ever noticed anything…off about him?"

Reef blinked. "Huh?"

"You know…like he's hiding something?" Johnny continued. "It's just…I kinda found something weird in his stuff, this morning…"

"What, like a stash of Playpen Magazines?" Reef asked. "Wait…he's got a Playpen stash and he didn't _tell_ us?"

"No, no! It wasn't any magazines!" Johnny insisted. "In fact, I don't know _what_ it was!"

"What _what_ was, dudes?"

Turning, Reef saw The Kahuna walking up to them. "Johnny here says he found something weird in Ben's stuff, this morning."

"Huh. No kidding." The Kahuna's expression was thoughtful. "Maybe it's got something to do with his aura."

Now it was Johnny's turn to blink. "Come again?"

"His aura, dudes; it's all out-of-whack!" Kahuna insisted. "We're talkin' some seriously funky karma here, bros."

Reef arched an eyebrow. "Oh-_kay…_"

The Kahuna shrugged. "Normally, I'd have advised the dude to watch out, but since nothing majorly bad's happened, I'm guessing he's got it under…_WHOA!_" His tone turned alarmed as he spotted Reef's pendant. "_Dude!_ W-Where'd you get that?"

"This?" Reef fingered the totem. "I found it at the Office; no big deal."

"_Big deal_, grom! _WAY_ big deal!" The Kahuna cried. "You gotta get that thing back there, pronto! If you don't, some _majorly_ bad mojo is headed your way!"

"Pfft! As if!" Reef scoffed. "Sorry, Kahuna, but I don't buy into your whole…" He paused. "Hey…did it suddenly get drafty around here?"

Before he could ponder that notion further, Ben ran up. "Hey guys, I need a little help with…" But he stopped as he saw Reef…and quickly averted his eyes. "Uh, Reef?" he asked. "You may want to look down."

"Why?" Reef answered, as he glanced down…and saw that his swim-trunks had fallen down around his ankles. "_HOLY!_" His face went red as he yanked them back up, though not fast enough to escape the guffaws of the tourists.

"See?" The Kahuna said. "You're cursed, dude! It's starting already!"

"Yeah, right! That just happened 'cause I used the drawstring to string this thing, man! That's all!"

The Kahuna shook his head. "No, grom, that's _not_ all! This was just the beginning!" he said. "It's gonna get worse if you don't put that thing back, pronto!"

Reef frowned. "Right; I put it back, and then you guys find it later!" he accused. "No chance!" With that, he walked off…right onto a crab that pinched his big toe with its claw. "Coincidence!" he shouted, hopping on one foot. "That's all! Just a _coincidence!_"

As Reef hopped off, Ben sighed. "That guy's his own worst enemy."

"You can say that again, bro," The Kahuna agreed.

Turning to Ben, Johnny asked, "So, you and Lo are on babysitting duty, huh?"

"Yeah, that's us," Ben answered, before he glanced over his shoulder. "Crap! The natives are restless!" he exclaimed. "Gotta go!"

As Ben bolted off, Johnny turned to The Kahuna, as his suspicion returned. "Kahuna…what were you saying about Ben's karma?"

"It's seriously funky, bro; his aura's got, like, a whole bunch of other auras mashed up with it!" The Kahuna exclaimed. "And these were some _weird_ auras, too; they looked like…I dunno, like things from a sci-fi movie! They looked like…movie-monsters!"

Johnny's eyes went wide. "Monsters?"

"Yeah, man! It's _weird!_"

Suddenly, Johnny felt a chill grip his spine, as he thought of the strange creatures that had begun popping up all over the island…around the same time that _Ben_ had started working here. "Yeah…weird…"

XXXXXXXX

_A few minutes earlier_

"Okay, guys! Here we are!"

By the time Lo had led her and Ben's charges onto the hotel beach, most of the morning's patrons were gone. Looking around the sand, Mark frowned. "So what are we supposed to do?"

Lo felt her mind racing to try and think up some kind of answer…and got nothing. "Well…when Ben gets back, we'll figure something out!" she said. "For now…why don't you guys build sand-castles or something, okay?"

Erica glared at her. "Are you _sure_ you're a real babysitter?"

Lo smiled nervously. "Of course!" she replied. "As soon as Ben gets back, we'll start our first activity!"

Mark rolled his eyes. "Whatever." With that, the four kids headed onto the sand, while Lo walked back to one of the nearby beach-chairs, sitting down and closing her eyes. The entire morning had been murder on her ankle, and she needed some rest; plus, she could never resist a chance to work on her tan…

"Um…Lo?"

Opening her eyes, Lo was surprised to see Briana standing there, looking nervous. "Do you know anything about…boys?"

Lo felt a smile start to cross her face. "I know a few things."

Briana's face went rosy. "Do you…know how to get one to like you?"

Lo's smile grew. "Why?" she asked. "Are you crushing on someone?"

Briana's blush only intensified.

Lo let out a mild squeal. '_Aw, that's so cute!_' "Say no more, Briana; you've come to the right place!" she exclaimed. "With my help, this guy'll be eating out of your hand in _no_ time!"

Briana brightened. "Really?" she asked. "_Thanks_, Lo! You're the best!"

Lo shrugged. "I know!" she answered. "So, who's the lucky guy, sweetie?" Her smile dimmed. "Is it…Todd?"

Briana's face twisted in disgust. "_EEWW!_" she cried. "No way!"

Lo breathed a sigh of relief. "Well, good!" she agreed. "Trust me, you can do _way_ better!" Her expression turned thoughtful. "I guess that means it's not Mark, either, right?" Briana nodded. "It's not my little brother George, is it? Around your height, short blond hair, light tan?"

Briana shook her head. "No," she answered, as her blush returned. "He's kinda…older."

Lo beamed. "_Oooh,_ an _older_ man! _Scandalous!_" she squealed. "Who is he?"

Briana's blush grew. "He's…over by the Snack-Shack."

Turning her head, Lo saw Ben, Johnny, Reef, and The Kahuna by the Snack-Shack, causing her face to pale. "Wait…this guy is _my_ age?"

Briana nodded. "Uh-huh."

Lo's smile wavered. '_Uh-oh._' She had to nip this one in the bud, and _fast._ "Uh, okay…is it Reef? The surf-instructor?"

Briana shook her head. "No way! He's a total goofball!"

At that moment, a seagull dropped a bomb on Reef's head, causing Lo to cringe. "Okay," she said. "Is it Johnny, the front desk guy?" Briana shook her head. "Oh, _please_ tell me it's not Kahuna!"

"_Ick!_"

"Well, who?" Lo asked. "The only one left is…" Her voice trailed off as it hit her. "Wait…you're crushing on _Ben?_"

Briana beamed, as she nodded. "He's…he's just so handsome and nice!" she squealed. "I…I really like him, Lo! Can you help me figure out how to make him be my boyfriend?"

Lo was caught between wanting to gape in utter incredulity and wanting to laugh out loud. Part of her couldn't fault Briana for crushing on Ben – considering that he was Type Three crushable – but she had to set her straight without stomping on the little girl's puppy-crush. "Uh…sweetie?" she asked. "Don't you think that maybe you should…set your sights on someone your own age?"

Briana frowned. "Like Mark and Todd?"

Lo cringed. '_She's got a point, there._' "Look, Briana, I know how cute older guys can look – trust me, I've had my own share of puppy-crushes when I was younger – but believe me, 10-year-old girls do _not_ register on a teenage boy's radar."

Briana pouted. "But…but he's so _cute!_"

Lo sighed, briefly sending a longing stare towards Ben. "Oh, believe me, I _know._"

Unfortunately, Briana caught that. "Wait a minute!" she shouted, her eyes narrowing. "You're trying to trick me! You need me to back off so _you_ can get him!"

Lo frowned. "Okay, _first_ of all, Briana, I was _trying_ to set you down easy so you wouldn't end up getting heartbroken and embarrassed!" she shot back. "And _second_, I don't "need" you to back off; it's no contest."

Briana's glare grew. "Oh, yeah?"

"Uh, _yeah!_" Lo snapped. "I didn't want to say this because you're a kid, but you've brought this on yourself!" With a mild smirk, she pointed to Briana. "Little _girl._" She pointed to herself. "Young _woman._ Do the math."

Briana huffed angrily. "I _did!_" she shot back. "Four is greater than one!" She smiled slyly. "_Dog-pile on Lo!_"

Lo blinked. "What?" she asked…before she let out a shriek of alarm as the other three kids rushed over and jumped her, dog-piling themselves on top of her. "Get _OFF_ me!"

"_Hey!_"

Like a knight charging in to rescue a distressed princess, Ben was instantly there, his eyes narrowed as he grabbed Mark and Todd by the collars, hauling them off of Lo. "What the _hell_, guys?" he snapped. "You should _know_ better than to jump on somebody like that! Lo's got a bad ankle; you could've really _hurt_ her!"

Before any of the other kids could rat her out, Briana sniffled. "B-But…w-we were just playing!" she cried, her eyes tearing up. "W-We didn't mean to hurt her, honest!"

Lo had to admit, she was impressed. That excuse would have fooled _her_, if she didn't know better.

Ben's stare was mildly suspicious, softening into a smile as he met her gaze. "You okay?"

Lo smiled back. "Yeah, I'm fine," she answered. Her face drooped into a mild frown as she looked to Briana. "It was just a little misunderstanding."

Slowly nodding, Ben smiled at their four charges. "Well, since you all seem to have energy to burn, why don't we play a little game?" he suggested. "Follow me!" With that, he headed further down the beach, prompting the others to follow.

Ben briefly stopped by the storage-shed to pick up a soccer-ball and two orange pylons, before walking back onto the sand, setting up the pylons on either side of him, several feet away. "Okay guys, how about a little one-on-one?" he asked, absently spinning the ball on his fingertip. "Each of you get three shots on the goal; whoever gets the most shots past me wins! Who's up for it?"

Mark scowled. "No way! This is stupid!" With that, he started to walk off…

Ben knew just what button to push. "Well, if you think you can't do it…"

Mark whirled around. "Who said I couldn't?" he snapped. "I'll _so_ kick your butt!"

Ben smirked, as he tossed the ball towards Mark. "Then go for it, hotshot."

"Fine! I will!" Pulling his foot back, Mark let fly with a wild kick, sending the ball racing towards the goal…where Ben promptly caught it, darting to intercept it at a fraction of a second. Mark's eyes went buggy. " _Huh?_"

Lo giggled. "Oh, did he forget to tell you?" she asked. "Ben's the goalie for his soccer-team, back home!"

Ben shrugged. "Bellwood Bruisers, MVP," he added, before tossing the ball out.

Briana sighed dreamily. "Wow…"

Mark, however, was far from impressed; pulling back, he let the ball fly again…right into Ben's hands. He tried again…and once more was blocked. "Okay!" Ben declared, tossing the ball to Todd. "Your turn!"

Catching the ball, Todd took his three shots…all of which Ben blocked. Next camer Erica's turn…but she didn't fare much better. Sighing, Erica walked to the side. "All yours, Bree!"

As Briana walked in front of the goal, catching the ball as Ben tossed it to her, Mark sneered. "You are so _toast!_"

Briana frowned, as she pulled back and kicked the ball…before Ben caught it and tossed it back. As Mark laughed, Briana kicked again…and once more, Ben blocked it. Now Todd started laughing. "Man, you suck!"

Her eyes narrowed, Briana fought back sniffles as she caught the ball one last time. For a moment, Lo felt bad for the little girl…until she caught Ben's knowing expression.

His sly wink said it all.

Suppressing tears of frustration, Briana pulled her foot back and let the ball fly; Ben made a move to grab it…but his fingers passed just inches under it, as it hit the ground inside the goal.

Mark and Todd's dumbfounded expressions matched Briana's as she saw the ball hit the sand. Ben just chuckled as he glanced to the two boys. "I don't know about her sucking, guys; I'd start giving her a little more respect, if _I_ were you!" He grinned as he glanced to Briana. "Man, am I lucky I didn't have to face a kicker like _you_ in the championships!"

As a joyful Briana blushed happily, Lo couldn't help but smile. Ben had let Briana score on purpose. '_What a total sweetheart!_'

Putting the ball and pylons aside, Ben glanced at their four charges. "So, what say we head into town for a little while?" he suggested. "We can stop by the surf-store on the way in, and then maybe grab some frozen yogurt!"

None of the kids made any move to argue, but Briana's eyebrows drooped. "Ben?" she whimpered, suppressing a sniffle. "I…I think I hurt my ankle when I kicked that ball; it's a little sore…"

Ben's eyes went wide. "Are you okay, sweetie?" he asked, kneeling to her level. "Do you want to go see the nurse?"

Briana shook her head. "No, I think I'll be okay," she murmured. "Could you just…could you maybe give me a piggyback ride?"

Ben blinked in surprise at that, before he smiled gently. "For the new champ? Sure!" With that, he turned around, allowing Briana to hop on his back, before looping his arms under her knees, and then standing up. Briana smiled happily at the piggyback ride, before glancing towards Lo, her expression sly as she stuck out her tongue. Then, before Lo could react, Briana looked away, her eyes closed as she nuzzled her cheek into the back of Ben's neck.

Lo's eyes narrowed. '_Huh; the kid's got talent,_' she thought grudgingly, as she and the other three kids followed Ben and Briana to the whale-bus. '_Okay, missy, you want to make a big deal of this? Fine! It is SO on!_'

XXXXXXXX

_Staff House, a few minutes earlier_

"Dude, I am in _big_ trouble, here!"

After his shift had ended, Johnny had promptly returned to the staff-house, having little else to do but sit down on the patio with a good book for some peace and quiet…or so he'd thought. Looking up from his novel, Johnny did a double-take as he saw the state Reef was in. "Holy mother of…what happened to _you?_"

Both his eyes blackened, his hair patchy under the gauze-wraps encircling his head, his neck idol-free, Reef could only groan miserably. "That stupid idol happened, that's what!" he wailed. "The Kahuna's right: that thing _is_ cursed!"

Next to him, Broseph could only chuckle. "Man, I would _not_ want to be you, bro."

"_Not_ helping, dude!"

Johnny managed to keep his laughter down. "Well, now that you've made _that_ intellectual leap, why not do the obvious thing?" he suggested. "You know…put it _back?_"

"I _can't!_" Reef cried. "I hocked it to Lo's little brother for five bucks, and the curse _still_ won't go away! I have to get it back before it kills me!"

At that very moment, part of the patio's roofing gave way, crashing to the ground right in front of Reef. "_See?_" Reef wailed. "That was just a _warning-shot_, man! If I don't find George _fast_, I'm done for!"

"Right," Johnny said, suppressing his chuckles. "Sorry, man, I can't help you; I've got no idea where that kid is."

Fin's voice interrupted Johnny as she walked up onto the patio. "Hey, Johnny, I was gonna go on a Beaver-Tail run; you wanna…" she began, but she burst out laughing as she saw Reef's state. "W-What the hell happened to you, you kook?" she guffawed. "Did you try swimming in the kiddie pool, again?"

Reef scowled. "Oh, sure! Laugh now, betty!" he retorted. "But mark my words: you'll miss me when I'm gone!"

Broseph's grin faded. "No kidding around, bra; the dude needs to get back something he sold to Lo's kid brother. You seen him?"

Fin shrugged. "Last I checked, he was hanging by the pool with your kid brother; I think he was trying to impress some girl, or something."

"Got it!" Reef exclaimed. "Broseph, we need to find a potato sack, or a blanket, or something! Let's _go!_"

As Reef and Broseph ran off, Fin could only stare. "Okay, it's official: the weirdness around here is _contagious._"

"Oh, good; for a minute, I thought _I_ was the only one who noticed," Johnny quipped. "Anyway, you were saying?"

"Oh, right; I was gonna take a ride into town on the Whale Bus to grab some Beaver-Tails," Fin said. "You wanna come with?"

Johnny shrugged. "Sure, why not?" Quickly stashing his novel back in his room, he followed Fin back to the hotel.

Reaching the hotel's main entrance in minutes, Fin and Johnny boarded the waiting Whale Bus as The Kahuna performed a last-minute engine-check; they had only just sat down when six more passengers got on board: the Marvin twins, the two Finnegan girls, and Ben and Lo, the former of which was carrying a delighted Briana on his back…while the latter looked _far_ from happy about it.

Grinning, Ben knelt by one of the seats, allowing Briana to hop off. "Now boarding for Sunset Beach; please remain seated until the captain has switched off the Fasten Seatbelts light, and do not attempt to detonate any snack-foods until _after_ we have disembarked!" he quipped, fixing Mark and Todd with a warning eye, while Briana giggled. Standing up, he moved to a seat several rows back. Smiling, Lo moved to sit down next to him…but a little blue blur zipped past her, as Briana darted into the space next to Ben, gazing up at him adoringly. Smiling apologetically, Ben could only met Lo's gaze helplessly; suppressing a huff, Lo walked to the back, sitting down by Fin and Johnny.

Fin chuckled. "Any luck on hooking up with States?"

"Hardly!" Lo complained. "Not with these four little monsters getting in the way!"

Johnny smiled. "They're just kids, Lo; _you_ used to be one, too."

Lo sulked, folding her arms. "It's still annoying!" she muttered. "And that's not even _mentioning_ how Briana is puppy-crushing on Ben!"

Fin snorted with laughter. "You're losing to a 10-year-old?"

Lo's eyes narrowed. "I'm not "losing," McCloud; Briana _may_ have gotten ahead in Round One, but I'm predicting a _knockout_ in Round Two!"

Johnny gulped. "Uh…going a little overboard, aren't we?"

"Please. I'm not going to hurt her," Lo said. "I'm just going to remind Briana _why_ young men prefer young _women._"

"Couldn't Ben just _tell_ her that he doesn't like her that way?" Johnny asked.

Lo huffed at that. "_God_, Johnny! Insensitive, much?" she snapped. "That would _crush_ her! Puppy-crushes are _very_ sensitive for girls her age! Ben likely doesn't even _know_ she likes him!" She sighed. "Which means that him letting her win that soccer-game didn't help…"

Fin blinked. "Come again?"

A smile crossed Lo's face. "Mark and Todd were making fun of Briana when they were playing this soccer-goal game Ben came up with, so Ben let Briana beat him."

Fin beamed. "_Awwwwww!_"

"I know, right? Total _sweetheart!_"

Johnny was lost. "_Huh?_"

Lo rolled her eyes. "Uh, _duh!_ Being good with kids is only one of _the_ best qualities that girls look for in guys!"

Johnny paled. "Oh…kay," he said, slowly standing up and inching away. "I'm just…gonna go over there."

Walking down the aisle of seats, Johnny stopped a few feet back from Ben's seat; Ben had momentarily dozed off, leaning his head against the window – likely worn out from the morning. Erica had walked over to her sister, who was still gazing at Ben. "Isn't he dreamy, Eri?" Briana gushed. "He's like a real-life Prince Charming!"

Erica rolled her eyes. "If you say so, Bree," she muttered, before her gaze fell on Ben's wrist. "What's with that watch? It doesn't tell time, or anything!"

Curious, Briana lifted up Ben's left hand, studying the watch. "Wow, you're right, Eri!" she agreed, fiddling with the watch. "Do you think it's broken?"

Johnny had to admit, he was curious about the watch, as well; he'd never seen _any_ watch like that advertised in stores, and every time he – or anyone, really – asked Ben about it, he changed the subject…

And then Briana depressed the two buttons on each side of the watch's dial, causing the dial to rise up, away from the frame…and project a bright green light, which morphed into an image.

An image of the fish-monster that had saved Broseph.

Johnny's face went pale, as his knees started to wobble, his mind flashing back to The Kahuna's words: "_…they looked like…I dunno, like things from a sci-fi movie! They looked like…movie-monsters!_"

Erica, however, was intrigued. "Cool!" Reaching over, she twisted the dial once, causing the image to vanish…and forming a new one in its place.

The image of an insect-like humanoid…like the one Emma had claimed to see at the Office.

Erica twisted the dial again; this time, the image became one of a manta-ray-like creature…like the one Lo had seen.

Twisting the dial several more times, Erica arched an eyebrow at the sights of yet more unearthly creatures. "Okay, what kinda watch _is_ this?"

"I don't know, Eri," Briana said, looking nervous. "We shouldn't be messing with it! What if Ben gets mad?"

At that moment, The Kahuna hopped on board, taking the driver's seat. "Okay, dudes and dudettes! We are good to go!"

That call stirred Ben from his nap. "Huh? What's going…_HEY!_" Quickly, he yanked his hand away from Erica, tapping the buttons and retracting the dial. "What the hell, Erica?"

Erica flinched. "I'm sorry!" she cried. "I-I just wanted to look at your watch, that's all!"

Ben calmed down. "Well…well next time you _ask_ first, okay?"

Erica nodded quickly. "O-Okay."

Quickly sitting down, Johnny ducked low, before Ben noticed him, his mind still racing from everything he now knew.

Monsters had started appearing around the island, starting the very _day_ Ben had arrived here.

Every time a monster showed up, Ben was absent.

Every time a monster _left_, Ben somehow showed up.

And now, Ben's watch had holographic images – that alone was a gi-freaking-normous red flag – of several monsters in question.

Calming down, Johnny felt his eyes narrow; all this time, they'd been freaking out about these creatures, and Ben had always reassured them…when all along…

Sitting up, Johnny kept his expression calm, though he sent one brief, angry glance towards the back of Ben's skull. '_Tennyson, you have got some SERIOUS explaining to do…_'

XXXXXXXX

_Surf-Store, Sunset Beach_

"Okay, guys! Remember: unless you plan to buy it, don't touch anything!"

As they disembarked from the Whale Bus, Ben suppressed a chuckle as the four kids scampered into the store, only to stop just inside the main entrance, allowing him, Lo, Fin, and Johnny to catch up. "Aw, _lame!_" Todd muttered. "It's just a bunch of surf-stuff and tourist junk!"

Mark nodded. "_Why_ are we here again?"

"Because it's a local landmark!" Lo answered. "This store is the only store to actually have a tree grow – _EEEEEEEEEE!_"

Lo's squeal made everyone wince. "And for your convenience, the ear-doctor can be called from the front desk, in case anyone should develop _ruptured eardrums,_" Fin grumbled.

Lo was oblivious to the shot. "_New bikinis!_" she squealed, gathering up a handful. "Just give me five minutes, 'kay?" Before anyone could protest, she zipped into a changing room.

Before long, five minutes had come…and gone. "Okay," Ben said, "I guess we're going to be here for a little while longer, so feel free to look around…guys?"

By then, the four kids had already headed off. "Wow. They actually did what they were told," Fin quipped. "Time to call the newspapers!"

Ben chuckled. "Shut up."

Johnny's expression was flat. "So, Fin," he began, "any progress on finding out about these monsters that have been popping up around town?"

Ben froze, doing his best to keep his expression calm. '_Since when does Johnny care about "monsters"?_'

"Nothing new, so far," Fin remarked. "The trail seems to have gone dry."

Johnny nodded absently, his stare going hard as he glanced at Ben. "I wouldn't worry about it too much," he replied. "I'm sure there's some kind of clue around here somewhere; it's probably right under your _nose._"

Ben felt his insides clench at that – Johnny had been looking right _at_ him as he'd said that. '_Oh my God…does…does he..?_'

"Ben?"

Briana's voice interrupted Ben's horrified thoughts, drawing his gaze down towards the little girl…who was holding a small pile of souvenirs. "Could you call my Mom and ask if she could buy these for me?"

Ben had to suppress a laugh. "Sorry, honey; your Mom said no shopping. You're gonna have to put those back."

Briana pouted. "But _Ben..!_"

"No buts, Briana," Ben insisted, before grinning, nodding his head towards Lo's change-room. "If you don't learn to stick to a budget, sooner or later, that's going to be _you_ in there!"

Briana's eyes went wide, as her souvenirs fell out of her hands – mercifully, nothing was breakable. "_N-N-No!_"

Ben nodded. "I'm afraid so."

"Ha, ha! Very funny!" Lo called from the change-room. "I'll have you know I am _perfectly_ capable of controlling myself, Ben!"

Ben laughed. "Oh, of course! That squeal was a _perfect_ example of self-control!" he teased back.

"For your information, I just _happen_ to enjoy new fashions! I'd been expecting this line of swimsuits for a few weeks, and I was _excited_, thank you very much!" Lo laughed back. "I only plan on buying _one,_ and I needed to pick out the one I liked best!"

Ben chuckled. "And did you find what you were looking for?"

Lo's tone turned flirtatious. "I don't know; why don't you tell me?" And with that, she opened the door.

Ben could have _sworn_ he felt his heart stop and start several times.

Lo was now clad in a two-piece, dark-blue bikini, consisting of an incredibly teeny-tiny bottom, framing her sumptuously slim _derriere_ perfectly, with a thin violet ruffle encircling the top edge of the bikini-bottom, subtly drawing attention towards her smooth, flat midriff. The bikini-top was a spaghetti-strap halter-style, fitting closely to her curves, with the tiniest of tantalizing gaps left in the center. Her hair had been pulled into a long, flowing ponytail just over her left ear, below her floral hairclip, coiling over one caramel-creamy, sun-caressed shoulder before falling free as she walked towards him, her long, slender legs moving more gracefully than a swan's wings, until she was inches from him.

Like magic, she had transformed herself back into the exotic, tropical beauty he'd comforted on that supposedly-deserted beach, a short time ago.

Her smile growing, Lo did a slow pirouette, the tip of her ponytail teasingly flicking against his nose as she spun, filling his senses with the alluring floral fragrance she used in her hair, before her amethyst gaze met his. "Well?" she cooed. "What do you think?"

Ben did not trust his voice in the slightest, right now; he simply grinned, and let out a long, approving whistle.

Lo's chiming laugh was his reward. "_Ben!_" she giggled, her face going rosy as she gazed up at him through her eyelashes, her voice going breathy. "You could turn a girl's _head_ with a whistle like that!"

Ben had to rest his hand against the nearby wall to keep himself from falling over.

Briana's expression drooped. "Ben…"

"I-In a minute, Briana," Ben stammered, unable to tear his gaze from Lo. "So…uh…well…"

Lo drew an inch closer. "So…see anything _you_ like?"

Ben _knew_ he had on the biggest, goofiest grin ever conceived. "Now that you mention it…"

Fin politely coughed. "Get a _room,_ you two."

That remark was enough to break the spell. "Uh…right," Ben said, his face going red as he scratched the back of his head.

Lo was just as rosy. "I…I'd better go pay for this," she added, turning to go.

Somehow, an intelligent thought made its way to the front of Ben's foggy brain. "Lo?" he managed. "If…if you're not busy tonight…you wanna go surfing, together? There's…something I'd like to show you."

Lo beamed. "Okay."

Briana's expression collapsed, before she turned and ran off.

"G-Great!" Ben exclaimed. "I'll…I'll see you then!" He froze. "A-After we drop the kids back at the hotel, of course!"

Lo giggled. "Right." With that, she walked off, casting a shy glance over her shoulder back at Ben.

Ben's grin lingered until Lo was out of sight, before he groaned. ""After we drop the kids at the hotel"? God, I'm an _idiot!_"

Fin chuckled. "Smooth, Casanova!" she teased. "At least she said yes, right?"

Ben chuckled. "By some miracle, yes," he agreed. "I'm just gonna grab a soda from the vending-machine; once Lo's paid at the cashier, we can head out." With that, he headed off.

Walking to the back of the room, Ben fished several coins out of his pocket, feeding them into the machine and making his selection; as his soda of choice dropped into the deposit-slot below, Ben reached down to pick it up…and as he stood back up, he saw the reflection of Johnny in the machine's viewing-window, standing behind him, his arms folded crossly. Slowly, Ben turned around. "Something wrong, Johnny?"

Johnny's frown never wavered. "I assume you know about Fin's little plan to track down these monsters that have been popping up."

Ben felt a trickle of sweat run down the back of his neck. "She's mentioned it, once or twice."

Johnny arched an eyebrow. "We've all seen at least one of these things, by now…except _you,_" he said. "Why is that, I wonder? Why is it that, every time a monster pops up, you're M.I.A.? Why is it that you suddenly show up _after_ it's gone?"

Ben tried to fight the widening of his eyes. "Johnny," he said, forcing a smile, "what exactly are you saying?"

"I think you _know_ what I'm saying, Tennyson," Johnny snapped. "I've lived in Sunset Beach all my life, and I've never so much as seen _anything_ that could be called a monster…but the very _day_ you show up here – _hours_ after you're hired – one shows up in town!" His gaze dropped to his wrist. "And then there's that watch of yours, man; you know, the one we always ask about, only to hear you change the subject, every time? The one that projects _holograms_ of these _exact_ same monsters?"

Ben went _pale._ Johnny had seen the Omnitrix when Erica had inadvertently popped up the control-dial. '_Oh crap, oh crap, oh crap, oh CRAP!_'

Johnny's eyes narrowed. "One way or another, Tennyson, you _know_ something about what's been going on here," he said. "I think it's high time you started talking. _Now._"

Ben's mind raced, trying to come up with _some_ explanation for what Johnny must have seen…and was immensely grateful when Lo derailed his train of thought, if only for a nanosecond. "Guys, Briana's missing!" Lo cried. "I-I can't find her!"

Ben's eyes went wide. "_What?_"

Lo was panicking. "She was right by us just a second ago, and now she's gone!"

Johnny sighed. "I'm no expert on kids here…but do you think maybe she might have seen something that upset her?"

Lo blinked. "Like what?" she asked…and then she gasped. "O-Oh my _gosh!_ W-What have I _done?_"

Ben was lost. "Am I missing something?"

Lo's expression was mournful. "Ben…Briana's been totally puppy-crushing on you."

Ben's eyes went buggy. "_W-W-WHAT?_"

Lo was near tears. "I know, and I practically _stomped_ on her crush! I'm a _terrible_ babysitter!"

"This isn't helping!" Johnny exclaimed. "We need to figure out where she could have gone!"

Ben's expression turned firm. "I think I know where to start!" With that, he strode towards the other three kids.

As she saw him approach the other kids, Fin's face fell with worry. "Everything okay?"

Ben shook his head. "Briana's missing."

The other kids froze, as Erica's eyes went wide. "W-W-Wha..?"

Ben knelt in front of her, placing his hands on his shoulders as he looked her in the eye. "Listen to me, Erica: we are going to find your sister, but we need your help. If Briana was upset about something, what would she do? Would she run away outside?"

Sniffling, Erica shook her head. "N-No; Bree _hates_ the outdoors!" she whimpered. "Every time she's upset – like this morning, when M-Mom told her she couldn't buy anything – she hid away in the back of the c-car! S-She always hides when she's upset, especially in s-small places!"

"Thanks, Erica; that's all we needed!" Standing up, Ben turned to the others. "Everyone, check every small space you can find! Briana couldn't have gotten far!" Instantly, everyone split up, and began searching through the store, looking under every clothes-rack, behind every surfboard, and in every changing-room, calling Briana's name…and getting no answer.

After several minutes of searching, Ben emerged from the washroom, having found no trace of Briana, a harried expression on his face. '_Oh, God…what if she didn't run off? What if someone took her..?_'

"Oh, God, Johnny, what are we gonna do?"

Hearing Lo's voice, Ben peered around the corner, and saw a tearful Lo talking to Johnny. "W-We still haven't found her! W-What if somebody _took_ her?" she cried. "T-This is all my fault!"

Johnny shook his head. "No, it's not, Lo…"

"Yes, it _is!_" Lo wailed. "She was just a little girl, and I practically ground her nose in the dust, and now she could be…"

"We don't know that, Lo," Johnny said. "She could just be hiding…"

"Hey, dudes? We kinda got a problem, here."

Turning towards The Kahuna, Lo suppressed a sniffle. "No kidding, Kahuna! Briana is _missing!_"

The Kahuna's eyes went wide. "Whoa…guess I'd better make that _two_ problems, grom-ette."

Johnny blinked. "Two?"

"I think the parking-brake on the Whale Bus has slipped, again," The Kahuna said. "The old girl's gone and rolled off; need to call the tow-truck."

Lo just stared…before a terrible thought occurred to her. "Kahuna…are there any small hiding-spaces on the Whale Bus?"

"Sure, bra; lots of 'em," The Kahuna said. "There's the luggage compartments, under the dash by the brakes, under the seats…" His eyes went wide as he caught on. "Uh-oh."

Lo was near hysterics. "Oh, God…w-what if Briana's on that bus?" she cried, turning around. "B-Ben, what do we do?" Her eyes went wide. "Ben? _Ben?_"

But Ben couldn't hear her; he had already darted out the rear entrance, zipping into the underbrush, the Omnitrix's dial extended as he twisted it, looking for Jetray…and then smiling as he found another old favourite. '_Hero time!_' With that, he slammed the dial down…not noticing the pair of brown eyes that was watching him through the underbrush.

The Omni-wave instantly enveloped him as the dial contacted, cycling up the Omnitrix, which instantly began to remake him; his entire genome shifted, causing his skeleton to morph, becoming lighter, sleeker. His legs lengthened, shrinking and yet condensing, his leg muscles turning denser, as his feet contracted into tiny claws, each gripping a small black sphere. His arms shortened, slimming down as his hands melded into pincer-like, razor-sharp black claws. His nose shrunk down to nearly nothing, his eyes turning a bright yellow as his skull extended backwards into a sleek, bony fin.

As the Omni-wave faded away, Ben was gone, replaced by a fairly tall, sleek, ultra-light lizard-like creature, with blue scales instead of skin, clad in a skintight, green-black bodysuit, with the control-dial embedded on the chest, his face framed by a high-tech face-helmet, and a long, lizard-like tail. "_XLR8!_"

His change complete, XLR8 darted to the roadside in a fraction of a second, a literal blue-black blur as he moved; calculating the incline of the road, he determined which way the bus would have rolled in a matter of seconds. Turning towards the right direction, his face-helmet's visor snapped down, projecting a HUD over his normal vision, showing traces of hydrocarbon-exhaust consistent with the residue left by the bus; he was on the right trail.

Instantly, the spheres in his feet spun at blistering speed, accelerating him at a rate that would leave a NASCAR official breathless; XLR8 streaked down the highway, catching up to the free-rolling Whale Bus in seconds. Coming up on its left, he matched its speed, flipping open all of the luggage-compartments – finding nothing – before he zipped to its other side and opened the rest of them…and likewise, found nada. He was about to turn back, when he noticed that the Bus' door was closed. '_Hang on…that door can only be closed from the inside!_'

Moving to the door, XLR8 pried it open with his pincer-claws, before he leapt inside, cutting his speed in mid-air, to land just inside the entrance. "Hello?" he called out, his voice a viperish hiss. "Anybody in here?"

At first, no-one answered, prompting him to listen harder…where he caught the sound of sobbing coming from underneath the dashboard; slowly, he knelt down, and found Briana, curled up into a ball, sobbing into her knees. XLR8 retracted his visor, his expression sympathetic. "Briana?"

Startled, Briana looked up…and gasped with fright. "No, no, it's okay!" XLR8 whispered, waving his pincer-claws. "I'm your friend; I'm here to help you!" Cringing, Briana just inched back…most likely frightened by his voice. "Okay, sweetie; you just stay there," he soothed. "I'm just gonna stop this bus so your friends can come get you!"

Briana sniffled. "O-Okay…"

Standing up, XLR8's eyes darted around, looking for the parking-brake…and found it. '_Yes!_' Reaching for the lever, he pulled it…

…and the lever broke.

XLR8's smile collapsed, before turning firm, his mind briefly registering '_Oh, crap!_' and then switching to '_Okay, what next?_' in nanoseconds. '_Come on, Kahuna; you CAN'T be as dumb as you sound! You know the parking-brake isn't working; what would you do to…GOTCHA!_' Looking under the driver's seat, he spotted two wooden wedges, just the right size to stop the Bus' wheels from moving. '_Okay, I'm gonna have to get ahead of the bus and toss these in its way…but it's going too fast – I need to slow it down!_'

Smiling sheepishly, XLR8 picked up the wedges, before he knelt down again. "Briana? Sweetie? Change of plans!" he whispered. "I kinda need to get you off this bus, so…" He extended his claw to her.

Whimpering, Briana pulled back.

Glancing up, XLR8 cringed as he saw a turn looming in the distance; one that the bus would never make. "Okay, honey, this is serious; if we don't get off this bus now, it could crash!" Briana still didn't move. "Briana, _please!_ I want to save you, but I can't unless you _trust me!_ _Please!_"

Slowly, Briana looked up, and saw the panic in his expression. "O-Okay." Inching forward, she took hold of his pincer.

Smiling, XLR8 carefully lifted her up onto his back, piggyback-style. "Okay, sweetie," he soothed, snapping down his visor. "Now hang on…'cause here we go!"

Instantly, XLR8 darted out of the bus at top speed, racing ahead of it before he zoomed back, pushing against it with all his might as he gunned himself to top speed, his foot-spheres squealing like tires as they spun, pushing against the bus' momentum, turning red with heat, as his feet started to smoke.

Gradually, the bus began to slow down, until it finally came to a stop; the second it had, XLR8 stuffed one wedge under the left wheel, before stuffing the other under the right, preventing the bus from moving. As he stepped back, he waited for the bus to move…and then let out a relieved sigh when it stayed put.

Briana was delighted. "That was _awesome!_ Let's go, again!"

XLR8 just groaned…before his visor detected smoke, and increased levels of heat. "_YEEEOWWCCHH!_" he hollered, dropping to his butt, popping up his visor to blow on his smoking feet. "Hot foot, _hot foot!_"

Briana just giggled. "You're funny!"

XLR8 just grumbled to himself. '_I'm glad SOMEONE finds this funny, kid._' By then, his feet had cooled enough for him to move again; snapping down his visor, XLR8 raced off, heading back the way he came.

In less than a second, he had reached the surf-shop, stopping to let Briana hop off, and then racing away, just as the others came out to see what was going on. Zooming into the underbrush, he tapped the control-dial; as the emerald flash faded, Ben was left in XLR8's place. Walking back in through the back entrance, he strode out the front door, in time to see the others crowding around Briana, making sure she was okay. "Everything alright?"

Lo looked stricken. "_Ben!_ Where _were_ you?" she cried. "We had a _major_ crisis on our hands, and you were totally M.I.A.!"

Ben gulped, his mind racing as he tried to come up with a plausible reason…and got squat. "Uh…well…"

"He was in the bathroom."

Ben went stock-still as Johnny spoke up. "Ben thought Briana might have been in the bathroom, so he went in there to check," Johnny continued. "Somehow, the door got jammed, and he got stuck in there; he had to yell out for me to jimmy the door and get him out."

"Man, talk about your bad luck, Ben; you missed the whole thing!" Fin exclaimed. "Briana said that she got rescued by this speedy lizard-thing!"

"I _did!_" Briana insisted. "It was so cool! He was ultra-fast, like one of those race-cars!" She giggled. "He was kinda funny, too!"

The Kahuna shrugged. "Sounds cool, mini-dudette," he said. "Guess I'd better go check on the Whale Bus; sounds like the old girl needs a major maintenance-job."

"I hear that!" Fin agreed. "I'm gonna go check out where that thing went; there's _gotta_ be a lead around here, somewhere!"

As Fin sprinted off, while The Kahuna strolled down the road, Lo motioned for the kids to follow her. "I think we should head inside until The Kahuna gets back, guys; we've _all_ had enough excitement for one day."

Amazingly, none of their charges argued, as they followed her inside, leaving a bewildered Ben with Johnny. "_Why?_" was all he managed to get out.

"I saw, Ben," Johnny answered. "I saw what you did." He reached out, and tapped the Omnitrix's dial. "I saw what you did with that watch."

Ben knew he was as white as a sheet, judging from how his guts were clenching. "You…_saw?_"

Johnny nodded. "I saw you do something with that watch, and turn into that…whatever it was," he said. "And then I saw you race off, and come back with Briana." He smiled faintly. "You've been doing that a lot, around here – saving people." He sighed. "I guess I forgot that."

Ben felt himself start to calm down. "It…happens."

Johnny's expression was warning. "I'm assuming that there's a story behind whatever it is you do, man, and I think we _all_ deserve to hear it, _especially_ Lo," he said. "But, since you're not doing anything bad, I'll give _you_ the chance to tell us – I'm not gonna bust you…yet."

Ben let out a faint sigh of relief. "Thank you," he said. "I promise, I _will_ explain everything that's been going on here…as soon as I figure out how."

"See that you do."

Before long, The Kahuna had retrieved his errant bus, allowing everyone to get back on board, promptly taking them all back to the hotel. As they disembarked, Ben sighed to himself as the last of their charges got off. '_Hoo, boy; this isn't going to be pretty._' "Briana?" Hearing his voice, the little girl in question turned towards him. "A little while ago, Lo…told me something," he began. "Something…I probably should have figured out sooner."

Briana's expression told it all; her eyes started to water, her lower lip quivering as she began to sniffle. "Oh, no, sweetie; don't cry!" Ben soothed, kneeling down in front of her. "Oh, honey, I am _so, so_ sorry; I had no idea you felt that way – if I had, I would have been a _lot_ nicer about…how I reacted to Lo."

"You don't have anything to apologize for, Ben."

Lo's voice interrupted him as she walked over, her expression apologetic. "All you did was be _you;_ that's not your fault," she continued. "_I'm_ the one that has to apologize. I knew how sensitive first crushes are, and I still…did that." She met Briana's gaze. "Oh, God, Briana, I am really sorry."

Ben sighed. "I think we're _both_ at fault here, Lo," he said. "Briana…I'm really sorry to have to say this, but I…kinda have to be with girls my own age."

Briana's sniffles grew. "B-B-Ben…d-do you know…h-how m-much this _h-hurts?_"

"I _do_, Briana; boy, do I _ever,_" Ben said. "Getting dumped by someone you care about _sucks_, believe me; even when you get older, it bites the _big_ one." He smiled gently. "But I think you're getting a little ahead of yourself; you're only _10_, Briana. When I was 10, all I was worried about was Sumo Slammers, video-games, and pranking my cousin; you've got _loads_ of time before you need to start think about dumb boys like me."

That earned a faint giggle from Briana, prompting Ben to continue. "And when you're older, Briana, I _guarantee_ you're gonna meet someone _way_ cooler than me – someone just perfect for you, since he'll be the same age as you."

Briana scrunched her nose. "You mean, like Mark or Todd?" she asked. "But…but they're…"

"…dweebs?" Ben supplied, chuckling. "I'm gonna let you in on a little secret, sweetie: _all_ boys are dweebs when they're 10, myself included!" He tapped his head for emphasis. "It's kinda built-in."

Briana gasped. "_You?_"

"Yep; you're looking at a former Major Dweeb, right here," Ben said. "It just takes us a little while to grow out of it."

Casting a glance towards Mark and Todd – who were currently trying to hotwire a golf-cart – Lo suppressed a chuckle. "Some more than others." She sighed. "Well, Briana, even though Ben and I are probably never going to be allowed to child-sit again, I'd…be glad to help you if you ever had a problem."

Ben nodded. "If anything's ever wrong – like if Mark and Todd are acting _too_ much like dweebs – you can come find me or Lo, okay?"

Her sniffles slowing, Briana slowly smiled. "O-Okay." With that, she walked off, to catch up with her sister.

As Briana left, Ben let out a sigh of relief. "Okay…that was awkward."

"First crushes always are," Lo agreed, before she smiled. "And here I thought that being honest about it was a bad idea."

Ben grinned. "Well, Grandpa Max always said that being straight and upfront will solve 9 out of 10 problems."

Lo's smile grew. "I guess being honest can work, if a guy can at least be nice about it." Her smile drooped into a frown. "You would not _believe_ how brutal some guys can be; when I was around Briana's age, I was puppy-crushing on the teenage son of one of Daddy's business-contacts." She folded her arms. "His reaction when he found out? He _laughed_ at me!"

Ben frowned. "That _jerk!_" He smiled. "Hey, his loss, right?"

Lo giggled, absently twirling her ponytail with her finger…before her eyes went wide. "What on Earth..?"

Following her gaze, Ben did a mild double-take as he saw Reef, whose head was wrapped with gauze, his eyes both blackened, walk by, followed by Broseph. "Do we even _want _to know what happened?"

Broseph shook his head. "Probably not, bro."

Reef sighed. "Suffice to say, we managed to break the curse," he said, "so if you ever see any Haida idols at the Office…do _not_ touch them!"

Gulping, Ben nodded. "Good to know."

As Reef and Broseph walked off, Lo turned back to Ben. "So…you want to go surfing, now?"

Grinning, Ben was about to answer…when a backfiring golf-cart engine cut him off. "Can it wait until after we corral a certain couple of joy-riders?"

Lo groaned. "I guess it'll have to!" With that, they ran after the golf-cart Mark and Todd had swiped.

XXXXXXXX

"…so you all saw this super-fast lizard-thing, out there?"

By the time she and Ben had curtailed Todd and Mark's joy-ride, the sun had already started to set, giving Lo, Emma, and Fin just enough time to head to the Office for a surf-sesh, boards in hand. "I didn't actually _see_ it," Lo admitted, "but Briana did."

Emma could only nod. "Man, what is going _on?_ What are all these monsters doing here?

"I think I can answer that." Fin held up her cell-phone as she spoke, bringing up a video-file. "I scoped out the woods where that thing ran off to, and found its tracks." Her voice turned grave. "This is what I saw."

Peering at the tiny screen, Lo could make out a trail of tiny tracks in the dirt…which suddenly became human-sized footprints. Her eyes instantly widened. "Those…those footprints…they…"

"…changed. I know," Fin finished. "We're not dealing with a bunch of monsters, guys; we're dealing with _one._ This thing, whatever it is, can _shape-shift_…and if these footprints are any indication, it can make itself look _human._"

Emma gasped. "But…but then that means…it could be _anybody!_" she cried. "W-We might have passed by it in the hotel! It could be _anywhere!_"

Lo gulped. "Way to give us all nightmares, Fin!"

"Believe me, Lo, I'm not thrilled about this, either; we _all_ have to be extra-careful, from now on," Fin said. "If we see anybody acting weird, we have to tell the others!"

Emma nodded, and then she smiled as she turned to Lo. "So, did Ben like your new bikini?"

Lo beamed as she twirled her ponytail. "Enough to ask me out, again."

Emma squealed. "I _knew_ it! He is _so_ going to seal the deal!"

Lo felt her face go rosy. "_Emma!_"

Fin chuckled. "Oh, like we didn't see that coming?"

"_Fin!_"

By then, they had reached the Office; the guys had gotten there ahead of them, and had already hit the waves…except for Ben, who was standing close to the waterfall, in his swim-trunks, without his board, holding a diving-flashlight. Fin's smile grew, as she nudged Lo forward. "We'll leave you two alone."

As her friends walked off, Lo felt her knees start to wobble as she walked towards Ben, who greeted her with a smile. "Hi."

"Hi," Lo greeted back. "Where's your board?"

Ben's smile turned sheepish. "Actually…would you mind too much if we skipped the surf-sesh, this time?" he asked. "I'd prefer to show you what I found."

Lo shrugged, sticking her board in the sand. "Sure." Ben's smile grew, before he extended his hand to her; feeling her face go rosy again, Lo interlaced her fingers with his, allowing him to lead her.

After he'd guided her behind the waterfall, Lo felt her smile waver as Ben began to climb down into a small cave mouth. "Ben?"

"I found it after I went cliff-diving with the guys, this morning," Ben called back, his voice echoing from the cave. "I almost didn't recognize what it was, at first; come on down! You've gotta see this!"

Sighing, Lo inched down, and started climbing down into the cave, eventually dipping her feet into a fairly deep pool of water, forcing her to occasionally kick to stay afloat, the water causing her ponytail to slip loose, letting her hair slick back against her skull. It was almost completely dark – she could barely make out Ben's silhouette. "Ben?" she called, suppressing a shiver. "What's going on?"

Ben just laughed. "_This!_" And with that, he switched on the flashlight, letting it rest around his neck from its strap as it illuminated the cave.

Any fear Lo might have felt was instantly dispelled, as the light revealed a spherical cavern lined with thousands upon thousands of tiny rainbow crystals that caught the light and reflected it back in an endlessly shifting spectrum of colours. Lo could only gasp. "Oh my God…Ben, this…this is amazing…how…"

Ben grinned. "It's a geode," he explained. "My Grandpa told me and Gwen about them when we were on vacation; millions of years ago, this place must have been on a fault line, or maybe an undersea volcano that formed this." His grin grew. "I don't think even Grandpa Max knows about this place; it has to be the largest geode in the country, maybe the world…and we're the only ones who know about it."

Lo felt her breath catch in her throat. "Ben…thank you," she cooed. "Thank you so much for sharing this with me; I had no idea there _were_ things as beautiful as this, let alone that one was practically in my backyard…"

Ben laughed gently. "Hey, it's always the story: you never know what's right under your nose, or what's right in front of you…even if it's absolutely amazing."

Lo felt her heart skip a beat; he wasn't just talking about the geode. "And then you take a closer look," she whispered, inching closer to him. "And you _see_ how wonderful it is…and you're so glad you took the time to look, because you might have missed something amazing."

Now they were only inches apart, floating in front of each other, in a pool of rainbow light, gazing into each other's eyes, lost in what they both saw. Slowly, Ben's hands moved to rest on her hips, his touch so gentle, as though he was afraid he was going to scare her. Mildly startled by the touch, Lo felt a breathy gasp escape from her throat, but she didn't pull away; inching closer, she rested her hands on Ben's chest, encouraging him to pull her closer. To her delight, Ben accepted the invitation, looping his arms around her waist, enfolding her in a tenderly protective embrace, making her feel safer than she'd _ever_ felt.

There was no doubt about it: this was, unquestionably, the most magical moment of her entire life.

For the longest moment, Ben could only gaze at her. "Lo…Lauren…" he murmured, "…my God…you're so beautiful…" Then, he regained control of his thoughts, his expression turning worried. "Lauren, there's…there's something about me you should know; something you _deserve_ to know…"

Lo simply shushed him with a fingertip on his lips. "Right now, I know everything I need to," she cooed. "Please, Ben; just…be with me…"

Her voice was utterly hypnotic, silencing whatever Ben had meant to say; the worry drained from his face, as he began to lean down, inching closer to her. Her eyes fluttering closed, Lo followed his lead, craning her neck upwards, parting her lips in sweet invitation…

This time, there were no interruptions: no friends calling them, no monsters, no co-workers or supervisors – nothing at all.

There was just the two of them, in their own little private world.

And then their lips touched.

Lo had been kissed before, but this was as far removed from those as a shooting star was from a candle; her breath was pulled from her lungs, while her spine trembled from the shivers racing up and down her back, in perfect time with the tiny circles Ben's hand was tracing on her back. The contact of his lips on hers was electric, sending waves of blissful heat surging across her skin, only intensifying as his tongue met hers in a dance of pure desire. Releasing a delighted sigh, Lo looped her arms around Ben's neck, pulling him closer, letting out a muffled squeak as Ben did the same, his hand moving up to rest between her shoulder-blades, gently pressing her to him in a way that drove her absolutely _crazy._

After several blissful minutes, their lungs demanded air, forcing them to pull apart, gazing at each other. Still wrapped in Ben's arms, Lo couldn't tear her eyes from those wonderful emerald pools, or from the smile on Ben's face – the same smile she _knew_ she was wearing, as well. "_Wow…_"

Ben's goofy grin turned up to full intensity. "Yeah, _wow,_" he agreed. "So…does this mean we're…together?"

Lo had to giggle at how adorable that had sounded. "What do _you_ think?" she cooed, before she leaned up and snared his lips with hers, sparking another magic moment.

By the time Lo and Ben emerged from the cave – after a long and passionate make-out session – the sun had retreated behind the horizon, and their friends had all headed back. After retrieving her board, Lo followed Ben back to the staff-house…and smiled as Ben gently took her hand in his, tenderly caressing her knuckles with his thumb. Before long, they were back at the staff-house; walking inside, they were about to part ways for the evening…and just couldn't find the will to do so. "We…we _really_ need to turn in," Lo murmured, her face rosy. "It's…probably going to be a long day…"

Ben grinned back. "Yeah, you're…probably right," he agreed. "We'll…talk tomorrow, right?"

Lo giggled. "You _bet_ we will." Her eyes happened to meet his gaze as she spoke…which drew them back together for a soft, sweet kiss, not as passionate as the others, but enough to leave her lips tingling. Reluctantly pulling away, Lo shyly waved goodnight to Ben – her new boyfriend – before she headed upstairs, never letting her eyes leave his for as long as she could.

When their gazes finally broke, Lo zipped out of sight, leaning against the nearby wall to support her wobbling knees, her eyes wide as she traced her lips with her fingertip, reminding herself that that kiss had really happened, before turning and heading into her room…

"Okay, Lo! _Spill!_"

Lo let out a startled shriek as the lights switched on, revealing Emma and Fin, both in their PJs, waiting for her, with a bowl of popcorn in Fin's lap. "Have…have you been waiting up for me to get back?"

"_We're_ asking the questions, Ridgemount!" Fin laughed. "Now start dishing!"

Emma was giddy. "Come on, Lo! We're dying to find out! Did you two…did he..?"

Lo could only blush.

Emma squealed. "You _did!_ You two totally _did!_ You and Ben _hooked up!_"

Fin arched an eyebrow. "Let me guess: States took you somewhere private, and made his move?"

Lo tried to suppress her blushing, and failed miserably. "Okay, I'm not mentioning the specifics – that's something we want to keep as just ours," she began, "but I will say this: _BKML._"

Emma and Fin just stared.

Lo couldn't hold it in any longer. "_Best Kiss of My LIFE!_" she squealed. "I mean, I've had a couple kisses from boys before, but _this_ one…I think I saw _fireworks!_"

Emma's delighted squeal was an echo of hers as she practically tackled her BFF with a hug. "I'm so happy for you!"

Fin just laughed. "_Took_ you two long enough!"

Emma's smile turned sheepish. "Lo?' she asked. "Now that you and Ben are together…could you help me hook up with Ty?"

"Shut _up!_" Lo laughed, swatting Emma with a nearby pillow, which caused her to retaliate…sparking the first battle of an hour-long pillow-fight.

XXXXXXXX

After bidding goodnight to Lo, Ben was still too wide-awake to even _think_ about turning in, and so he walked out onto the patio, leaning against the rail as he gazed up goofily at the full moon, his mind utterly consumed with thoughts of Lo…

…which meant that he never noticed the glints of metal in the underbrush.

Crouching low under a nearby thicket, in his full battle-armour, Connor peered through his night-vision goggles, motioning for his two men-at-arms – both fully-trained Forever Knights – to stay low. "Is it he, Milord?" one asked.

Conner lowered his goggles. "Aye, boys," he confirmed. "It is Tennyson; the very traitorous whelp who cheated us of our victory against the dragon."

The other bristled. "Then we should attack, Milord! Let us smite the wretch where he stands!"

"Do not be foolish, boy; we only stand a chance against him in full force," Conner admonished. "For now, we withdraw, and make Tennyson come to _us._"

The first looked up. "You have some stratagem, Lord Connor?"

Connor smiled coldly. "Spread the word: we strike the traitor of humanity down come the morrow," he said. "Tennyson has revealed a fatal flaw."

XXXXXXXX

_**Omnitrix Database**_

_**File-Name: **__XLR8_

_**Species-Name:**__ Kineceleran_

_**Home planet: **__Kinet_

_**Abilities:**__ Subject is capable of accelerating to significant fractions of lightspeed on the ground, and can sustain land-speeds in excess of 1000 mph with very little effort. Highly advanced nervous system grants incredibly fast reflexes. Subject's speed allows subject to ascend vertical surfaces and cross water with ease. Subject also possesses highly acute bio-magnetic senses, enabling for incredible balance – subject can change direction instantaneously, even at top speeds; this sense can be disrupted by electromagnets and EM-pulses, causing subject to become disoriented. Subject's claws can cut through many known structural materials, and can channel its momentum into tornadoes by use of centrifugal force. Subject's speed cannot be successfully maintained on low-traction surfaces, or over strong adhesives, and its ultralight frame renders it vulnerable to heavy impacts._

_**Description:**__ The sole sentient species of the planet Kinet, the fleet-footed Kineceleran race arose from one of the most hostile environments imaginable. Rather than out-muscling their natural predators, the ancestors of the Kinecelerans opted to outrun them, which began the process of natural selection, favouring the swiftest individuals. Gradually, this process culminated in the evolution of the Kinecelerans' unique foot-structure; the Kineceleran foot consists of a permanently clenched claw encircling a gyroscopically stabilized ball-jointed bone – a "gyro-lith" – suspended in a slurry of bio-lubricant. The gyro-lith, when excited by a neuroelectrical field, can spin at high velocity in any one direction, thus propelling the Kineceleran at high speeds. In order to maintain energy, as well as replenish the bio-lubricant slurry needed to cool and lubricate the gyro-lith, the Kineceleran must consume a high-lipid/high-oil diet._

_In the wake of the gyro-lith's evolution, the Kinecelerans rapidly grew to dominate their world, gradually forging what is now known as modern Kineceleran society. Today, many Kinecelerans work in intergalactic law enforcement, but a sizable portion have found a career in the sport of interstellar foot-racing; it is of note that nine out of eleven champions in the Trans-Galactic Marathon have been from Kinet._

_Author's Note: Happy New Year, everyone! I am SO sorry about the delay; now that I have a regular schedule again, things should pick up! Be sure to stay tuned!_

_Coming Soon:_

_Now that he and Lo have hooked up, things seem to be getting back to normal for Ben…_

…_but as some old friends pay him a visit, our hero finds that some old enemies are around the corner, as well._

_With his friends caught in the crossfire, Ben must make a choice: reveal his secret, or risk the lives of his new friends and girlfriend._

_Life at Surfer's Paradise will never be the same._

_Watch it happen, in "Confrontations," coming to your computer soon…_


	8. Confrontations

CHAPTER EIGHT: CONFRONTATIONS

_Staff-House, July 18, 2010_

As the morning sun's rays warmed her eyelids through her eye-mask, Lo sat up in bed with a yawn…before a happy smile crossed her face, bringing with it the memory of last night.

She and Ben had officially hooked up, after she'd gotten the best kiss she'd _ever_ had in her life.

Lifting her eye-mask onto her forehead, Lo lay back down, trying to grab a few last minutes of shut-eye, but her mind wouldn't quiet down; not with thoughts of Ben and that kiss swirling through her head. '_Okay, I'll just take a little walk. That should calm me down._'

Slipping out of bed, Lo tiptoed out of her room, taking care not to wake the still-napping Emma and the snoring Fin, before creeping downstairs, sneaking past the living-room couch where her brother was sleeping, and emerging out onto the patio, taking a deep-breath of the sea air…

…where she saw a familiar green jacket.

Leaning against the rail as he gazed out at the horizon, in his street-clothes, Ben turned around as he heard her, his smile growing all the wider as their eyes met. "You couldn't sleep either?"

Feeling her heart start to race, Lo shrugged. "Maybe."

Ben laughed. "I think I got – maybe – five minutes of sleep, last night," he confessed. "I couldn't get you or that kiss out of my head."

Lo's pulse promptly went into double-time, but she stayed cool. "It's nice to hear I have that effect," she cooed. "Aren't you worried about falling asleep at work?"

"Nah; today's my day off."

Lo playfully pouted. "Lucky!" she exclaimed. "I have to slave away in the DR, all morning!"

Ben grinned. "Hey, I'm not thrilled about it, either!" he defended. "I have to go an entire _morning_ without seeing your beautiful face; I'd prefer Chinese Water Torture!"

Lo beamed. "Well, then you're lucky I woke up so early," she teased, "because between now and whenever the others wake up, you have me _all to yourself._"

Ben arched an eyebrow. "Is that so?" he asked, walking closer.

Lo nodded. "I'm not going anywhere."

Ben's grin turned sly. "Damn _right_ you're not," he whispered. Then, before Lo could react, he gripped the lower corners of his jacket in his fingers, and then looped his arms around her waist; at first, Lo was confused, until she heard the telltale _click_ of Ben's zipper locking together, right before Ben zipped it up, trapping her in his jacket with him.

Lo squealed with laughter, playfully wiggling her shoulders as she half-heartedly tried to get free. "_Ben!_" she cried. "What do you think you're…"

But she was silenced by Ben's lips on her own, drowning out any fake objection she had, leaving her with only the thoughts of how incredibly comfortable she was, snuggled up against his chest, the subtly spicy scent of his deodorant emanating from the jacket that pressed her to him. Sighing happily, she rested her hands on his chest, nuzzling closer as she felt his arm encircle her waist, while the other rested between her shoulder-blades, gently pulling her to him.

After yet another few magical minutes – proving once and for all that their first kiss was no fluke – a blissfully dizzy Lo felt Ben's lips release hers. "You're…actually pretty good at that," Lo murmured.

Ben looked just as affected by that kiss as she was. "You're pretty darn amazing, yourself," he replied, before his smile turned earnest. "Look, if you're not busy after work, I'd like to take you on a date – a real one, not just a surf-date."

Lo giggled. "After several hours of dealing with Kelly?" she chimed. "I'm _yours!_"

It took all of her strength not to grin at Ben's goofy smile. "Great!" he exclaimed. "I was thinking maybe we could catch a movie…but I'm kinda in the air about which one; what would you prefer – action, sci-fi/horror, thriller or rom-com?"

Part of Lo wanted to say "rom-com," but she didn't want to scare off her new boyfriend. She shrugged. "Surprise me."

"Okay, then!" Ben answered. "It might have to be the evening movie; my cousin and our friend from back home are coming to visit, so I'll probably be tied up with them for the afternoon."

"Cool."

Ben's expression turned serious. "Lo?" he asked. "There's…something I have to tell you…"

Whatever Ben planned to say was derailed by a sleepy groan from the living-room – _Ty's_ groan. Lo froze. "Ben, unzip your jacket before Ty sees us!"

Ben blinked. "Huh?"

"_Please!_"

Flinching, Ben quickly unzipped his jacket, releasing Lo, who stepped back just as a groggy Ty, still in his surf-shorts, lumbered out onto the patio, carrying his board. "Hey, sis."

Lo shrugged. "Hey, Ty."

As Ty trudged off towards the Office for his early-morning sesh, Ben frowned sadly, scratching the back of his head. "Oh," he said. "Sorry I…almost embarrassed you…"

Lo wanted to smack herself. Nervously chewing her lip, she leaned up to give Ben a tender kiss, sweetly reassuring him. "You didn't_,_" she promised. "If Ty had seen us, he'd have gotten all stupid and bent out-of-shape 'cause his baby sister was dating a coworker." She smiled shyly. "I was trying _not_ to scare you off."

Ben's smile came back. "Oh. Well…that's okay, then," he replied. "Still, we're gonna have to tell him eventually, Lo; I'd rather not have your brother find out about us by walking in on us."

Lo giggled. "Huh; the other guys I've dated actually tried to _avoid_ telling my fam."

Ben chuckled. "I think it's safe to say I'm not like any other guy you've dated, Lo; _trust_ me on that one," he said. "No offence to your brother, but I've seen _way_ scarier things than him."

Lo beamed. "Well, why don't we at least go on an actual date before we talk about that?" she asked, smiling coyly. "I think we should at least go out several times before meeting the fam."

Ben shrugged. "That sounds fair." His smile grew. "I guess you'd better go get ready," he added. "Good luck out there, beautiful." With that, he leaned down, ensnaring her lips once again.

Blissfully sighing, Lo closed her eyes, letting herself enjoy the kiss, giggling as Ben pulled away, but stayed close, touching his forehead and nose to hers. "I take it back," she murmured, her voice breathy. "You're _really_ good at this."

Ben's breath was minty and warm on her cheek. "What can I say?" he asked. "You bring out the best in me."

Not for the first time, Lo wondered just what it was that had made this "Julie Yamamoto" chick willingly give up a boyfriend like Ben. '_She must have been out of her mind!_' she thought. '_Well, sucks to be her! Her loss is MY gain!_' Never letting her eyes leave Ben's, Lo reluctantly inched away. "See you this evening?" she cooed.

Ben's grin was sly. "Counting the minutes."

Lo's smile felt like it would crack her face. "Good answer, mister." With that, she walked inside, hurrying upstairs.

Somehow, she knew today was going to be _awesome._

XXXXXXXX

_Surfer's Paradise_

As the morning check-in/check-out time came, Johnny sighed to himself as he took his usual spot behind the front desk. '_Another day, another dollar…_'

His expression brightened as he saw Emma, in uniform, walk into the lobby, beaming as she waved in his direction…until he realized she'd been looking at Ty as he emerged from the gift-shop with a fresh bottle of board-wax, ignoring her, as always. '_…and another chance to get ignored by Emma. Brother, at this point, I almost WISH Ben would go monster and attack me; it CAN'T be worse than this…_'

"Johnny? Hello?"

Snapping out of his wallowing, Johnny found Lo, also in uniform, standing in front of the desk, mildly cross. "Huh? Lo? What?" he stammered. "Did you say something?"

Lo sighed. "I _said_, are there any reservations under the name Tennyson? Ben said his cousin and their friend are supposed to drop by, today."

Johnny checked his computer. "Hmm…I don't see any reservations like that," he said. "Maybe they're just…visiting…for…the…day…"

Lo arched an eyebrow. "Johnny? _Hello?_" she asked, until she followed his drifting gaze…right to where Emma was standing at the greeter's booth, before turning back with an amazed smile. "_Oh. Em. Gee!_" she exclaimed. "You like Em_…_"

"_SSSSHHHH!_" Johnny shushed her. "_God_, Ridgemount, tell the whole _planet_ while you're at it!"

Lo's smile turned sheepish. "Sorry."

Johnny groaned. "Did Ben tell you?"

Lo blinked. "Wait, Ben knew about this and didn't tell me?"

"Lo, I think _everybody_ knows about this," Johnny moaned, as his head smacked into the counter. "Everybody except Emma."

Lo smiled. "Then don't you think you should, oh, I don't know…_tell_ her?"

Johnny's expression was flat. "Gee, I don't see how I could do that, Lo, since I'm "such a good friend"."

Lo winced. "You got Friend-Zoned? _Ouch._" Her expression brightened. "Why didn't you come to me or Fin _sooner?_"

"Right; I'm gonna tell the _best friends_ of the girl I like about how I like said girl."

Lo rolled her eyes. "Okay, are _all_ guys this dumb or something? We're the _first_ people you should've told!"

Lifting his head, Johnny looked perplexed. "I'm not following you."

Lo laughed. "Uh, duh! Haven't you been listening at _all_, this summer?" she asked. "Practically ever since he got here, Emma and Fin have been telling me non-stop about how Ben's a totally great guy and how I should totally date him!" She beamed. "And now we've hooked up!"

Johnny smiled warily. "Hey, that's great!" he said. "But…what does this have to do with me?"

"_Everything!_" Lo exclaimed. "You remember how being good with kids is one of the things girls _love_ in guys? Well _another_ one is hearing that a guy is awesome from another girl, preferably a BFF!"

Johnny's eyes went wide. "Seriously?"

"Totally! How else do you think I went from hating to hook-up in such a short time?" Lo replied. "Hearing how dateable a guy is from a BFF is like catnip for girls! You just let me get Fin on-board, and then give us a couple of weeks to work on her!"

Johnny started to smile. "Really?"

"Of course! Emma may not like-like you, but she does like you, so our job is half-done!" Lo said. "You give us a couple weeks, and Emma will drag you out of the Friend-Zone herself!" She giggled. "After she rips your wetsuit off with her _bare hands!_"

Johnny knew he was grinning like an idiot. "_R-Really?_" he exclaimed. "Wow, thanks!"

Lo shrugged. "What can I say? I'm just a little matchmaker!"

Johnny's expression turned serious. "Has Ben…said anything to you, today? Anything…you know, important?"

Lo looked confused. "Like what?"

'_He still hasn't told her._' Johnny managed a smile, chuckling nervously. "Oh, nothing; he just…said that he wanted to talk to you, that's all!"

Lo arched an eyebrow. "Oh-_kay…_" she answered. "Well, I guess I'd better get going."

"Sure!" Johnny chuckled. "Good luck!" As a confused Lo walked away, Johnny smacked his head on the counter, once more. '_Smooth move, St. James; now she HAS to know something's up. Man, I am just not cut out to keep secrets…_'

XXXXXXXX

"Seriously, Ridgemount, I am not interested in your excuses! Now clean this mess up!"

As she watched Kelly finish chewing Lo out before stalking off, Emma walked over to her ketchup-daubed friend as she swept up the broken dishes. "Hey," Emma greeted. "I saw that – _so_ not your fault!"

Lo sighed. "Thank you!" she agreed. "Just try telling Kelly that the Marvin twins are on another rampage! _So_ glad I didn't get stuck with permanent babysitting duty!"

"I'll say!" Emma said, before she giggled. "While Kelly was chewing you out, Ben popped in; he saw Kelly was giving you a hard time, so he left you a note."

Lo brightened. "Really?"

Emma beamed. "I'm sorry, but I looked; I couldn't help myself – it was just too _sweet!_" With that, she handed Lo the napkin, prompting her to read it.

_Lo,_

_Sorry to bug you at work, but can we talk afterwards? There's something I have to tell you._

_Ben._

_P.S.: Don't let Kelly get you down, beautiful._

_P.P.S.: You look cute with ketchup on your nose!_

Now it was Lo's turn to beam. "That _sweetheart!_" she squealed. "That was just what I needed!"

"I know!" Emma agreed, before chuckling. "You might want to wipe off the ketchup, though."

Reaching up, Lo flicked the dollop of condiment off of her nose, before glancing at the note, once more. "Wonder what he wants to talk about, though." She shrugged. "Guess I'll find out!"

While Lo got back to work, Emma quickly resumed her own duties, gathering up dirty dishes and ferrying them back into the kitchen, before heading back out to take orders. '_Hopefully, Ty'll stop by…_'

"Excuse me?"

Turning, Emma's daydreams were interrupted as she spotted a young woman, around her own age and frame, with long, bright red hair, and green eyes, clad in a blue t-shirt, and a cute black short-skirt. "Please, take a seat!" Emma greeted. "I'll be right with you!"

Smiling back, the girl held up her hands. "Actually, I'm not here for service," she said. "I'm looking for my cousin; he works here as a bellhop. Have you seen him?"

Blinking in confusion, Emma studied the girl – something about her face seemed so familiar – before her eyes widened. "Oh my gosh! Are you Ben's cousin?"

The girl's smile told Emma she'd guessed right. "Gwen Tennyson," she greeted, extending her hand.

Emma shook it. "I'm Emma; Emma Mackenzie!" she replied. "It's so nice to meet you! I've heard so much about you!"

Gwen laughed. "Uh-oh; should I be worried?"

"Hey, Gwen!"

Turning both Emma and Gwen turned to find a tall, well-built young man of 17, in slightly tattered blue jeans and a black t-shirt, with icy blue eyes and mid-length, ruggedly unkempt black hair, standing in the entrance. "Any sign of the goofball?"

Gwen shook her head. "Not yet, Kevin; you try the golf-court, and I'll meet you at the beach."

"Cool." With that, the guy – Kevin – headed off.

Emma couldn't help but smile. "Who's the hottie?"

Gwen's smile was somewhat shy. "Oh, Kevin? He's…a friend."

"_Only_ a friend?"

Gwen's blush spoke volumes. "L-Look, do you know where Ben is? We kinda need to find him," she said quickly. "It's…family business."

"Oh," Emma answered. "Sorry, I don't know; it's Ben's day off." She shrugged. "I could ask Lo if she knows…"

Gwen's smile vanished. "That's okay," she said quickly. "I think we can find him ourselves." She turned to go. "Nice meeting you!"

"Uh…okay!" Emma replied, before resuming her duties. '_Huh, I wonder what this "family business" is about,_' she thought. '_And why'd she go all prickly when I mentioned Lo?_'

If she freaked out just hearing about Lo, then how would she react when she learned her cousin was _dating_ her?

XXXXXXXX

"Hey, Lo? Remember that day when you saw that red thing in the woods? Sorry if I scared you, that time!"

Hearing his own words, Ben groaned. '_Oh, dear God, that was terrible._' Resuming his pacing up and down the empty beach, he tried again. "Lo, you like imported fashions, right? Well then, get a load of this watch!" '_Cripes, that's even WORSE!_'

There were just no words he could think of to tell her about the Omnitrix casually; he was just going to have to tell her, flat-out, that _he_ was responsible for all the monster-sightings. "Oh, man, she's gonna freak…"

"Who's gonna freak?"

Startled, Ben turned around…and grinned as he saw his cousin standing behind him, with Kevin following close behind. "_Gwen!_" he exclaimed, rushing over to hug her. "You guys made it!"

Gwen laughed. "Well, duh!" she replied, hugging him. "Like we're gonna let you deal with the Forever Knights all by yourself!"

Kevin shrugged. "We'd've been here sooner, but we decided to take a more…_scenic_ route."

Ben arched an eyebrow. "A scenic route?" he repeated…before he noticed Gwen's blush. "Wait…are you two..?"

Smiling shyly, Gwen slipped her hand into Kevin's. "Yes, Ben; Kevin and I…started going out, a couple weeks ago."

Ben laughed. "Well, it's about _time!_" he exclaimed. "How'd it happen?"

"Well, without the Highbreed or the DNAliens around, we had a little more time on our hands," Kevin said. "One afternoon, Gwen and I just…didn't have anything else to do…"

Smiling wryly, Gwen poked her elbow into her new boyfriend's gut. "_Thank_ you, Mr. Romantic!"

Ben chuckled. "Well, however it happened, I'm really happy for you guys."

"And what about you?" Gwen asked, her smile coming back. "You definitely aren't bummed about…you-know-who, anymore! What happened?"

Now it was Ben's turn to go red. "Well…"

"He hooked up with someone. I knew it," Kevin said.

Ben's smile drooped. "Actually, that's…part of what I need to talk to you guys about," he said, motioning them to follow him. "Come on; I'll show you." With that, the three of them headed back to the hotel.

As they headed towards the entrance, Ben saw Fin, Reef, and Broseph walking out of the lobby, in their surf-gear, boards at the ready. "Hey, States!" Fin greeted. "Me, Broseph, and Barnacle-Brains were gonna grab a sesh; you wanna come…"

"_EEEEEEEEE!_"

Gwen's squeal drowned out the rest of Fin's query as Ben's cousin darted towards her hero, rapidly shaking her hand. "_Oh my gosh! Fin McCloud! It's such an honor to meet you! You kicked butt at the East Coast National Championships, last year!_"

Kevin winced. "Well, that sure scored a perfect 10 on the Bust My Freaking _Eardrum_ Scale."

Fin could only stare in bewilderment at the stranger shaking her hand…before she smiled, her brain matching the squeal to one she'd heard, a while ago. "Okay, you've _gotta_ be Gwen."

Ben sighed. "Yeah, that's my cousin," he said. "Sorry about this, Fin."

Fin shrugged. "For what? Your cousin having good taste in surfing role-models?" At Reef's chortle, Fin poked him with her elbow. "Shut up."

Ben chuckled. "Well, guys, as you've already guessed, this is my cousin Gwen, and my pal Kevin from back home; Gwen, Kevin, these are my friends Fin, Reef, and Broseph."

Kevin nodded. "S'up."

Broseph nodded back. "Hey."

"Anyway, like I was saying, the three of us were gonna grab a sesh," Fin said. "You wanna come with?"

Ben's smile turned nervous. "I'd love to, but can't," he answered. "I've kinda…got a few things to take care of."

"Bummer," Fin said. "Well, it was nice meeting you two! Catch you later!" With that, she, Reef, and Broseph headed towards the beach, while Ben, Gwen, and Kevin walked into the hotel.

As they walked into the lobby, Gwen looked mildly confused. "Okay, what do you need to talk to us about?"

Ben sighed. "For starters, yes, I am seeing someone; we just started, yesterday."

Kevin smirked. "Called it."

"Ben, that's wonderful! I'm so happy for you!" Gwen exclaimed, before her eyes lit up. "Oh my gosh…are you dating _Fin?_ That's so _awesome_, Ben! She's so _cool!_"

Ben laughed. "Sorry, Gwen; Fin's cool, but I don't think I'm her type," he answered. "Besides, she's hung up on Reef, not that she'd admit it."

Gwen's smile dimmed slightly. "Oh," she said. "Well…is it that girl Emma in the restaurant? She's nice!"

"Nope, although you're getting closer," Ben replied. "Emma's kinda mooning over Ty Ridgemount…not that Ty ever notices."

Gwen blinked. "Who is it, then?"

Ben flinched; given how Gwen had talked about Lo, the first time he'd called home, he didn't know how she'd take this. "Well…"

"Ben! Yoo-hoo!"

Startled out of his thoughts, Ben turned towards the DR's entrance, where Lo, in uniform, was waving to him. "Thanks _so_ much for that sweet little note, baby!" she cooed. "You _totally_ rock my world!"

Ben couldn't help but smile. "Hey, you were having a rough time; what kind of boyfriend would I be if I didn't pick you up?"

Lo giggled. "Definitely looking forward to our date, tonight!" she replied. "See you when I'm done!"

As Lo slipped back into the DR, Gwen turned towards her cousin, horror written across her face. "_No,_" she murmured. "No, no, _no,_ Ben! _Tell_ me you're not dating…_Lauren Ridgemount!_"

Ben smiled sheepishly. "Okay, I won't tell you."

"_Ben!_"

Kevin's response was entirely different. "Dude, _score!_" he laughed. "Here I was thinking you were still mopey about Yamamoto, but you traded way, _way_ up! You hooked up with the owner's _daughter?_ _Nice!_"

"_KEVIN!_"

Ben raised his hands to calm his cousin. "Look, Gwen, I know why you're worried, but it's okay; Lo's not that bad…"

""Not that bad"?" Gwen repeated. "She _put a JEEP in a POOL!_ She got the _Royal Canadian Mounted Police_ called to her party! And you're actually _considering_ going out with that pampered, self-centered, spoiled little _brat_?"

Ben frowned. "Look, I'll admit, the first few weeks I knew her, I'd have agreed with you 100 percent," he began, "but then I got to know her, and…she was really nice."

Gwen folded her arms. "You're kidding."

"_No_, Gwen, I'm _not!_" Ben insisted. "Okay, _maybe_ Lo is a little on the spoiled side, but that _doesn't_ make her a bad person! So she's rich! That's a crime, now?"

Gwen's frown dimmed. "No…but the way she _acts…_"

"She _doesn't_ act that way, Gwen; not anymore, at least!" Ben defended. "I think she's grown up a little, since that party, and…I really think there's something there, between us…"

Kevin groaned, slapping his forehead. "Great; he's out of the Yamamoto frying-pan and into the Ridgemount _fire._ Here we go again."

Gwen looked stricken. "Ben, I just don't want you to get hurt."

"I get that, Gwen, but I'm asking you to give her a chance," Ben said. "I did…and I think I found someone really special because of it."

Kevin mimed gagging, prompting Gwen to half-glare at him. "So what's the problem, then?"

Ben sighed. "Come here." With that, he walked towards the front desk, where Johnny was. "Guys, this is Johnny, my supervisor; Johnny, this is my cousin Gwen, and my pal Kevin."

Gwen waved politely. "Hey."

"Hey," Johnny waved back. "So, Ben, does Lo…" he began, but paused. "Wait…_she's_ the voice I heard coming from that disc-thing!"

Gwen's eyes went wide. "_What?_"

"Yeah; that's the problem," Ben said. "Johnny kinda…knows_._"

Gwen gulped. "You mean, he knows you have to keep running out because you have to…take insulin shots?" she thought quickly.

Ben sighed. "No, Gwen."

Kevin followed suit. "He knows you have a strange kidney-condition that makes you go to the bathroom, every fifteen minutes?"

Ben scowled. "That's the _best_ you could come up with, Levin?"

Johnny frowned. "_No,_" he said, "I know that Ben's watch – whatever it is – does a _lot_ more than tell time."

Ben nodded. "Yesterday, I had to go XLR8 to save a little girl, and…Johnny saw me."

Kevin flinched. "Dang."

"Yeah."

Johnny looked to Ben. "So you haven't told Lo yet, have you?"

"No, Johnny, I haven't," Ben said. "I was trying to figure out how when I met up with Gwen and Kevin."

Gwen's eyes went buggy. "_WHAT?_" she shrieked, before lowering her voice to a whisper. "You're…you're actually _considering_ telling _Lauren Ridgemount_ about the _Omnitrix?_ Have you lost your _mind?_"

Johnny blinked. "Wait…that gizmo's _called_ something?"

Ben gulped. "I…kinda _have_ to, Gwen."

Kevin's gaze fell on Johnny. "Why? 'Cause he's gonna rat you out?" he asked. "He's not gonna talk."

"Uh, yeah, I am!" Johnny said. "I _cannot_ keep a secret; if somebody asks, I'm gonna end up blabbing! If Ben doesn't tell our friends, I will!"

Kevin frowned. "No, you're not."

"Yeah, I am!"

His frown turning into a full-out scowl, Kevin walked towards the front desk, placing his hand on the service-bell; instantly, his hand copied the atomic structure of the brass, turning his hand metallic. Clenching his metal fist, Kevin moved it forward until it was millimetres from Johnny's nose, his narrowed eyes boring into his skull.

"_No._ You're _not._"

Johnny's eyes went wide. "You…you wouldn't…"

"You willing to bet your ass on that?"

"Kevin, _stop_ it!" Gwen shouted, pulling him away. Her expression apologetic, she turned to Johnny. "Look, Johnny, we get how bad this looks, but telling anyone _isn't_ going to make things any better! If Lo finds out about Ben and what he can do, she's _never_ going to be able to keep quiet about it, and there have been too many people – _bad_ people – who have come after Ben because of the Omnitrix!" she added. "Do you get it, now? If you tell _anybody_, Ben's life is _over!_"

Johnny paused. "I…I didn't realize…"

He never got the chance to finish, as an alarm-bell rang out through the hotel, startling the four of them. "Okay, what's that?" Ben asked.

Checking his computer, Johnny went pale. "Holy…somebody just called in a bomb-scare! We have to evacuate!"

His eyes narrowing, Ben turned to Gwen and Kevin. "The Forever Knights?"

Kevin nodded. "That'd be my guess."

"It's too much of a coincidence," Gwen agreed. "They _have_ to be in on this!"

Johnny blinked. "Uh…_what?_"

"That's part of why Gwen and Kevin are here," Ben said. "Some of the people gunning for me are here, and I'm willing to bet _they're_ behind this!" He groaned. "Right now, you'd better get to safety; if these guys _are_ involved, we need to find them _fast!_" He turned back to Gwen and Kevin. "Kevin, you check the DR; Gwen, you cover the second floor; I'll take the first floor rooms, and we'll move to the third floor from there. If anybody finds the Knights, call in on your badges, and we'll take 'em together! Let's _move!_" With that, the three of them split up, while Johnny ran for safety.

XXXXXXXX

_A few minutes earlier_

"So now Ben's cousin is gonna be hanging out here? Sweet!"

Hearing Reef's remark, Fin just rolled her eyes. Broseph, however, was intrigued. "How ya figure, bro?"

"Easy! Since there are now _two_ grandchildren of the Madcap around, my chances of learning the Zero-G just _doubled!_" Reef answered. "Plus, I'm sure said hottie will be appropriately grateful to said surf-instructor…"

"Dude, that's _genius!_"

Fin scowled. "Chowderhead, there are so many things wrong with that statement, but I'll just stick to two," she said. "_One:_ that other guy Kevin is probably her _boyfriend_, and he looks like he could chew you up and spit you out…not that that's hard." She smirked. "And _Two:_ Gwen sounds like she's a _fan_ of mine, so if _anybody's_ teaching her and getting taught the Zero-G, it's _me!_"

"Whatever, betty."

By then, they had reached the beach, and had just passed by the surf-shack, when The Kahuna called out to them. "Hey, dudes and dudette!" he greeted. "Did I just see a couple of new groms hanging with Ben?"

Walking over, Fin smiled. "Nah, Kahuna; those were Ben's pals from back home who came for a visit."

"Oh," The Kahuna said. "Well, you might want to warn them about their funky karma; I kinda got the same wacked-out vibe from them as I got from Ben!"

Fin blinked. "Uh…okay," she said, backing away. "We'll…do that."

"Thanks, dudette!"

Rejoining her two friends, Fin headed towards the beach. "Okay, what was _that_ about?"

Reef shrugged. "Beats me, betty; The Kahuna's brain has probably been out in the sun, too long. He said something like that about Ben to me and Johnny, yesterday; how Ben's aura has monsters in it, or something."

Broseph looked thoughtful. "Like the one that saved my butt, that time?" he asked. "The fishy-thing with the hourglass?"

Fin paused. "Huh?"

Broseph shrugged. "That fish-thing that pulled those sweet moves on the Duke Hanale board; it had a disc on its chest with a big green hourglass on it," he explained. "You know, like the one on Ben's watch."

Fin's eyes went wide. "You _saw_ that?" she asked. "And you never thought to _tell_ us?"

Broseph scratched his head. "I…kinda thought you _knew_, bra," he said, smiling sheepishly. "I think I saw an hourglass on his board, too."

Fin went pale, as her mind flashed back to the first time she'd seen Ben's board-design – including that weird-looking hourglass on the underside – which sent her thoughts flashing to other moments.

Every time a monster popped up, Ben was missing, and every time one left, he came back…

Every time a monster was mentioned, Ben always pointed out how it had helped someone…

Every time she or someone else asked about his watch, Ben changed the subject…

It _couldn't_ have been a coincidence…but she _had_ to be sure…

Turning around, she looked over her shoulder at Reef and Broseph. "Come on, guys; we've got a little _research_ to do!"

Reef looked at the waves longingly. "But the surf…"

"…will be there, next time!" Fin snapped. "Right now, we have something _way_ more important to do!" '_Oh, man, I can't BELIEVE I just said that…_'

As Fin stormed back towards the staff-house, the two guys quickly followed her; heading into the living-room, she quickly switched on her laptop, bringing up the search-engine. Broseph and Reef weren't far behind. "So…what's the plan, bra?" Broseph asked.

Fin's eyes were narrowed. "I'm testing a theory," she said, doing a search of "Bellwood," and "monsters." "If I'm right…_bingo!_" she exclaimed, as her search pulled up _dozens_ of monster-sightings in Ben's hometown. "Looks like Sunset Beach isn't the _only_ place these things have been popping up!"

Reef looked over her shoulder, his eyes going wide as Fin opened a video of a tiny white humanoid, running into an alley…with a green hourglass on his chest. "Hey! That's the thing I saw on Initiation!"

Fin nodded, her expression growing darker as she saw a video of the massive dinosaur she, Lo, and Emma had seen before, the hourglass-crest on its chest clearly visible. '_All this time, it's been staring me right in the face!_'

She felt like the biggest, stupidest _kook_ in existence.

Just then, Emma walked in, back in her pink t-shirt and shorts, her shift over. "Hey, guys!" she greeted, walking over. "What are you…" She happened to look at the screen…and gasped. "O-Oh my gosh! T-That's the moth-thing I saw!"

Fin nodded as she saw the video of the ghostly moth-humanoid. "I figured," she muttered. "This was taken a few months ago…in _Bellwood._"

Emma blinked. "Hey…isn't that…"

"…Ben's hometown? Yeah," Fin said. "And get this: the _last_ sighting of one of these things was back in mid-to-late June; since then, Bellwood's been monster-free."

Emma's eyes started to widen. "But…that's when Ben started working here…"

"…and the monsters started showing up," Fin growled to herself. "Coincidence? I _so_ don't think so!"

Emma's hands flew to her mouth. "Fin…are you saying…_Ben_ is the shape-shifter?"

"I'm saying it's high time we got some _answers!_" Fin declared, standing up. "One way or another, Ben _knows_ something about what's been going on in Sunset Beach, and he's had _plenty_ of chances to come clean! It's time he started _talking!_"

"So you think Ben's this shape-changing monster…and you're just gonna walk up and _accuse_ him?" Reef exclaimed. "Betty, are you _NUTS?_ What if you're _right?_ He could monster-out and rip you to shreds!"

Emma gulped. "B-Ben wouldn't do that!"

Fin took a deep breath. "I don't know, Emma; we _obviously_ don't know Ben, at all!" she said. "I think it's time we _fixed_ that! Come on!" With that, she stormed out of the staff-house, as the others followed her.

Marching towards the hotel, Fin could hear an alarm ringing through the open doors, as patrons started hurrying out. Spotting Johnny, Fin walked over. "Where's Tennyson?"

Seeing her expression, Johnny gulped. "Ben?" he asked. "He's on the first floor…but you can't go in there! There's a..!"

"_Don't_ care!" Fin snapped, as she stormed into the hotel, heading to the first-floor suites, her friends behind her.

Within minutes, she spotted Ben, emerging from around a corner. Seeing them approach, he waved them away. "Guys, you've got to get out of here! Didn't you hear the alarm? There's a bomb-threat!"

Fin's eyes narrowed – an expression she normally reserved for Reef. "_Not. Going. ANYWHERE._"

Her tone threw Ben, his eyebrow arching. "Fin?" he asked carefully. "Is something up?"

""Something up?" "_Something UP?_"" Fin snapped. "You know perfectly _WELL_ what's up, Tennyson! It's been "up" since you got here!"

Ben blinked. "What?"

Reef piped up. "Ben? I'd just like it on record that coming here was _her_ idea!" he said, pointing to Fin. "So, if you have to rip somebody to shreds…"

"Whoa, whoa, _whoa!_" Ben cried. "Guys, I'm not going to rip _anybody_ to shreds!" He paled. "What makes you think I even _could?_"

"How about the fact that each and every one of these "monsters" have been showing up in _your_ neck of the woods, huh? Forget to _mention_ that?" Fin snapped. "Or how about the fact that they suddenly disappeared and showed up _here_ on the very _day_ you signed up at Surfer's Paradise?"

Horror started to creep across Ben's face. "Fin…"

"Then there's the fact that you're _never_ around when one shows up!" Fin shouted, steamrolling over him. "Plus, each and every _one_ of these things has a green hourglass on it, somewhere…like the one on _your_ board!" Her hand shot out to grab Ben's left wrist – the one with the watch. "And _here!_" she accused, glancing at that same damning crest. "That's _another_ thing! You _never_ talk about this…watch-thing! Every single time we've asked, you change the subject! Why, Ben? Afraid we might figure out something?"

Ben tried to inch away. "Guys, look…"

"And then yesterday, I found footprints of one of these things!" Fin finished. "Want to know what I found? The footprints _changed!_ They suddenly turned into _human_ footprints! There _aren't_ a bunch of monsters – there's just _one!_ One that can _shape-shift!_" Her glare turned murderous. "What about it, Ben? If I took a cast of your shoes, would they _match_ the footprints I found?"

Ben went dead-silent.

Smiling sheepishly, Broseph piped up. "Hey, bro, either way, it's all good," he offered. "I mean, anybody – monster or not – that shreds the Hanale Balsam board like that can't be bad…"

Emma looked worried. "She's…she's wrong, right, Ben?" she murmured. "Just…tell Fin she's wrong…"

Ben hung his head.

Emma gulped. "Ben?"

His expression mournful, Ben looked up. "I…I didn't want you guys to find out like this," he whispered.

"So it's _true!_" Fin shouted. "_God_, Ben, who _are_ you?" Her eyes narrowed. "_What_ are you?"

Ben was about to answer, but a crackling from inside his jacket stopped him, prompting him to take out a metallic disc – bearing that same hourglass symbol – that expanded into some kind of communicator. "_Ben, I've just heard back from Kevin; the DR and second floors check out, so we'll meet you at the third floor!_"

"Copy that!" Ben replied, before putting the device away. "Guys, I _cannot_ talk about this now…"

"You'd _better!_" Fin snapped. "And was that _Gwen_ I just heard on that thing?"

"There is _no TIME!_" Ben shouted back. "You're all in danger; this whole place could go up, any minute!"

Fin glared at him. "You are not getting out of this, buster…"

"I'm not _TRYING_ to!" Ben exploded. Sighing, he lowered his gaze. "You're _right_, okay, Fin? _Everything_ you said is true."

That took some of the wind out of Fin's sails. "What?"

Emma's lower lip quivered in terror. "You mean…you're really…_how?_"

"I can't go into that now, okay?" Ben pleaded. "I was going to tell you guys – I've been trying to figure out how to tell Lo, all morning!" He took a deep breath. "All I'm asking is that you all _please_ just clear out of here; once everything is safe, I'll tell you _everything_, and you can all yell and curse at me as much as you like. I can _live_ with you all hating me." His expression turned firm. "I _can't_ live, however, with letting you guys get hurt on my watch."

Now Fin was completely deflated. "O…Okay," she murmured. "But what about…"

Ben grimaced. "I'll call Lo, right now," he promised. "I'll tell her _everything_, I swear."

Calmed, Fin nodded. "We're holding you to that," she replied. With that, she and the others turned, and headed out.

The lobby was empty as the four of them walked into it, heading towards the exit. "Okay," Broseph said, "my mind? _Blown_, dudes. _BLOWN._"

Emma nodded nervously. "Yeah."

"So, what was that whole deal with him scaring the crap out of me on Initiation?" Reef asked. "Was he going to eat my brain, or something?"

Fin snorted. "Yeah, like he could _find_ it," she quipped, before she and the others stopped…as they saw about two dozen knights – actual _knights_, in full metal plate-armour, bearing the crest of a Mobius Strip on the chestplate – walked into view from several side-doors, blocking their view. '_Okay, is today Weirdness Day, and we missed it?_' "Nice getup, Lancelot," she said. "Now, you mind moving? We have to go!"

The lead knight ignored her completely, glancing to one of his cohorts. "Are these Tennyson's compatriots?"

Reef frowned. "Hey! Did Tin-Butt just diss us?"

"It means "friends," bro," Broseph explained.

"'Twould seem so," the second knight agreed. "As per Lord Connor's orders, we must take them, immediately."

Emma paled. "Wait, _what?_" she cried. "W-We're not going _anywhere_ with you!"

The first knight turned his armoured head towards her, drawing some kind of metal billy-club. "You have no say in the matter, wench."

Fin's eyes narrowed. "Okay, Sir Big-Mouth, I don't know _who_ you think you are, but if you don't back off, right _now_, you're getting my foot to your cast-iron keister!" With that, she stormed towards him…

The knight moved swiftly for someone with so much armour; darting forward, he shoulder-slammed into her, driving her back and knocking the wind out of her, before raising his club as it crackled with electricity…

"_Fin, look out!_"

_FZZZAAAPP!_

That terrible crackling noise filled Fin's ears as she was pushed aside. Getting up, her eyes went wide as she saw Reef, lying on the floor, his hair wildly frizzed. "_Reef!_" she cried. "Reef, are you okay?"

Reef smiled dazedly. "Hey, betty…look at all the pretty colours…"

Glancing up at the knights, Fin saw each of them draw some sort of gun-type weapon. "I trust our point is made?"

Fin just glared at them.

Ignoring her, the lead knight pulled out a communicator. "Lord Connor, we have Tennyson's cohorts; however, there is no sign of the Ridgemount girl." There was a pause. "Aye, Milord; we will erase the security tapes, immediately and rendezvous with you at the rally-point."

As the knight switched off his communicator, Fin felt dread grip her. "So what are you psychos going to do?"

The knights all chuckled. "That, wench," the first one sneered, "depends entirely on your friend Tennyson…"

XXXXXXXX

_A few minutes earlier_

Lo had just finished changing back into her sundress when she heard the alarm.

Placing her uniform in her locker, she quickly fished out her purse and hurried out of the locker-room, heading for the nearest exit; she was almost there when her phone rang. "Hello?"

"_Lo?_"

Lo beamed. "Ben! Hi, baby!" she cooed. "Are you as stoked as I am for our date, tonight?"

Ben's smile was audible through the phone. "_Oh, yeah,_" he answered, before his voice drooped. "_It's just…there's something I need to tell you, first._"

Lo blinked. "Is this what that note was about?"

"_Yeah,_" Ben said. "_I'd hoped I'd get to tell you in person, but I think I need to say it now before anyone else tells you…God, I should have told you back on that beach…_"

Now Lo was _really_ confused. "Oh-_kay…_" she murmured, as she happened to look over her shoulder…and her confusion _doubled_.

There, not ten feet away, was a bunch of guys in _knight_ costumes. "Uh, _hello?_" she exclaimed. "The Renaissance Fair isn't until _fall!_"

Ben heard her. "_Lo? What was that about?_"

Lo sighed. "Oh, nothing, Ben; just a bunch of kooks in stupid knight-costumes."

Ben gasped. "_With…infinity-symbols?_"

"Hang on." Looking up, Lo saw them coming towards her. "Yeah! How'd you..?"

"_Lo, RUN!_" Ben shouted. "_Get OUT of there, NOW!_"

Lo was completely taken aback. "Uh, have a _cow_ much, Ben?" she asked. "It's just a couple of goofball medieval buffs…"

"_You don't understand, Lo! Those AREN'T costumes! You have to get out of…_"

Lo never got the chance to hear the rest of Ben's warning, as a pair metal-gloved hands pinned her from behind, covering her mouth, causing her to drop her phone. "_Mmm! Mmmph!_" she screamed, trying to call for help, her voice muffled through the metal. "_MMMPH!_"

Lo's cries died down as she saw another armoured figure – this one in more ornate, gold-rimmed armour and cape, without a helmet, leaving his face and long dark hair exposed – walk towards her, staring at her dispassionately. "I do apologize for this, child," he said flatly, "but you were in the wrong place, at the wrong time…and with the wrong _person._"

That last word was spoken with utter contempt. Lo could only murmur in confusion. "_Mmm?_"

Reaching down, the armoured man picked up her phone, and spoke into it. "Tennyson."

Lo could hear Ben's reply, his voice turned into a surprising snarl. "_Connor._"

The man – Connor – chuckled darkly. "By now, I trust you realize that the bomb-threat was little more than a ruse," he said. "I also trust you realize that we now have your new cohorts…including your paramour, Ms. Ridgemount."

"_So help me, Connor, you lay one finger on her…_"

"The Ridgemount girl's fate – and those of your cohorts – lies not in my hands, but in yours, Tennyson," Connor spat. "The terms are simple: in exchange for their lives, you give up your own as punishment for your crime against the Forever Knights." He snorted. "Five lives for one; many would call that a good deal."

Lo's eyes went wide with horror. "_Mmmh, MMMPH!_"

"_Where?_" Ben asked.

Connor typed something into Lo's phone. "I'm sending you the location, now," he said. "Come alone. No police; no Plumbers; _nothing._ Violate those terms, and their lives are forfeit…beginning with the Ridgemount girl."

As the knight holding her moved his hand from her mouth, Lo cried out, "_Ben, NO! Don't listen to…MMMPH!_" Her cry was cut off as the knight clamped a damp cloth over her mouth and nose, forcing her to take a breath.

Instantly, Lo's vision began to cloud, her hearing turning muffled. Slowly, her eyes began to close…

Ben's voice was the last thing she heard.

"_Deal._"

XXXXXXXX

As the entire hotel population – both staff and guests – poured out of the hotel, lining up to take roll-call, as per hotel rules in the wake of a bomb-scare, Johnny felt his unease rise as he looked around for the junior staff – he'd seen Reef, Fin, Broseph, and Emma go in, but they hadn't come out, and Lo still wasn't back from her shift. Something was wrong…

"Johnny, where is my junior staff?"

Turning, Johnny smiled nervously as Bummer marched over. "S-Sir!" Johnny stammered. "Uh, well…you see…"

"Andrew?"

Hearing Mr. Ridgemount's voice, Bummer put on his best smile, turning around to face the hotel owner, along with his wife. "All guests reporting in, sir!" he declared. "All senior staff members are present and accounted for!"

James arched an eyebrow. "What about the junior staff?"

Gloria nodded, stricken. "Where's Lo?"

Bummer's smile became strained. "Uh…well, you see…I haven't found them, yet…"

"_What?_" Gloria cried. "What do you mean, you haven't found them? Where's my baby?"

Bummer chuckled anxiously. "Mrs. Ridgemount, you didn't let me finish!" he said quickly. "I haven't found them yet, so I was going to ask Jonathan; he was the last one to see them!"

Johnny sighed. '_Gee, thanks, boss._'

Turning towards him, James frowned. "Well, Jonathan? Where are they?"

Johnny gulped. "Uh…the thing is…"

"They're fine."

Startled, Johnny turned to see Ben walk up, a forced smile on his face. "Mr. R., sir, I'm afraid we've all been the victim of a bad practical joke; as the junior staff and I were evacuating, we overheard someone laughing about how they'd fooled the hotel into thinking there was a real bomb, but they ran off before we could catch them. Seeing as how the threat was a fake, the others decided to head to the beach for a surf-sesh; they saddled me with telling all of you about what happened. They're all fine."

Johnny blinked. '_Huh?_'

Bummer frowned. "We have _protocols_ about this kind of thing, Tennyson..!"

"Andrew," James interrupted. "Well, Ben, I can't say I'm thrilled to hear about this, but I am glad to hear everyone is safe."

Ben's smile was nervous. "So am I, sir."

Gloria calmed, somewhat. "Who would do something like this?"

James' frown came back. "Some rotten punk with a sick sense of humour, honey," he said. "What I wouldn't give to get my hands on them…"

Ben's eyes narrowed. "Oh, don't worry about _that_, sir," he said. "I'm pretty sure that whoever did this is going to get what's coming to them. _Count_ on it." He managed another smile. "Can we go?"

"Sure, sure," James said. "Andrew, even if this is a dud, we need to make sure; I want a full investigation, and no-one goes inside until it's clear!"

"Yes, sir!" With that, Bummer hurried off, while Mr. and Mrs. R. walked towards the hotel patrons, to reassure them.

As Ben walked away, Johnny followed him to the parking-lot, where Gwen and Kevin were waiting by a green muscle-car with a black racing-stripe. Kevin arched an eyebrow. "So, they buy it?"

Ben sighed. "Yeah," he replied. "I _really_ hate lying to them like this, but there weren't any other options; Mrs. R. would freak out, and Mr. R. might call the police…"

"You made the right call, Ben," Gwen said. "Now, all we have to do is rescue them."

"Okay, _what_ is going _on?_" Johnny cried. "What are you all talking about?"

Kevin frowned. "Keep it _down_, Captain Blabbermouth."

"Kevin." Ben turned to Johnny. "That bomb-threat _was_ a dud, Johnny…but we _do_ know who did it."

Gwen nodded. "It was a group called the Forever Knights; they're some of the people I told you about who want to hurt Ben. They used the bomb-scare as a distraction so they could kidnap Lo and the others."

Ben grimaced. "Connor – their leader – said I either offer up my life, or they lose theirs."

That did _not_ make Johnny feel better. "_WHAT?_" he cried. "W-We've got to call the police!"

"You do that, and they're all dead," Kevin said. "Right now, you need to stay put and keep everyone from figuring out what's really going on."

Johnny was still freaked. "And what are _you_ going to do?"

Ben's eyes narrowed. "Exactly what I've _been_ doing since I got here; what my friends and I have _always_ done," he said. "_Kick bad-guy butt._" Taking out his phone, he sent Johnny a quick text. "Have The Kahuna meet us at these coordinates with the Whale-Bus in an hour; if we're not there in a half-hour, head for home."

Johnny felt numb. "You're…you're actually going after these psychos?"

Ben smiled wearily. "It's what we do."

With that, the three of them piled into the car, and drove off, leaving a bewildered Johnny behind with his thoughts.

'_Oh, man…I'm not getting PAID enough for this…_'

XXXXXXXX

_Sunset Beach Industrial Sector_

By the time Ben, Gwen, and Kevin had reached the old warehouse where the Forever Knights were holed up, the sun had already started to set. Parking the car behind a hill overlooking the warehouse, the three of them peered over the hill, looking down at the Knights' stronghold. "Okay, I count three on guard outside," Kevin said. "How do you wanna run this, Ben?"

Ben's expression was thoughtful. "We have to do it carefully," he said. "Right now, you two are the only advantage we have – the Knights know _I'm_ here, but they don't know you guys are. The _second_ we go on the offensive, we lose that edge."

Gwen nodded. "And Connor could hurt the hostages."

"Exactly." Ben turned to his cousin. "Gwen, what's the layout on this place?"

Taking out her Plumber's badge, Gwen opened it, bringing up a holo-layout of the warehouse. "Okay, I see two fire-exits on the sides; they lead to the upper-levels, which open up to overlook the main storage-area."

"That's gotta be where Connor is," Kevin observed. "If he's gonna execute somebody, he's gonna want to do it in the open, where everyone and his uncle can watch."

Gwen stared at him. "And you know this how?"

"What? You think Vulkanus was the _only_ guy that wanted my hide on a platter?"

"Guys," Ben said. "Here's what we'll do; you two each take a fire-escape and sneak over the holding-area…"

Gwen interrupted. "Ben, those'll likely be guarded."

"Not once I go in," Ben said. "I'm gonna do the one thing Connor'll _never_ see coming." He grinned. "I'm gonna _surrender._"

Gwen paled. "_What?_"

Kevin groaned. "And he's lost it."

Ben rolled his eyes. "Hear me out, okay?" he asked. "I'll surrender, but I'll do it _my_ way, and make sure _every_ pair of eyes is on me, letting you two sneak in!"

"And let every single trigger-happy Forever Knight point his weapon at _you?_" Gwen cried. "Do I even have to _say_ how dumb an idea that is?"

"You know of any _other_ way to get eyes off the entrances?" Ben asked. "I won't be in any immediate danger, Gwen; like Kevin said, Connor likely wants to off me himself, so he's not gonna let anyone else do it."

Gwen looked stricken. "Okay," she agreed, "but don't you _dare_ do anything stupid until we're in position!"

Ben grinned. "Hey, it's me!"

Kevin snorted. "That's what she's afraid of."

Ben sobered. "I'll be okay, guys; my friends' and girlfriend's lives are on the line," he promised, his expression hardening. "_I_ got them into this; I'll get them out." With that, he stood up, and started walking towards the warehouse.

As he approached the main entrance to the warehouse, the Knights on guard instantly moved to intercept them, brandishing their plasma-lances. "Stop right there!" one shouted. "Hands where we can see them!"

Ben stayed cool, glowering at the Knights dispassionately. "Chill out, Galahad; your lord is expecting me."

The first Knight moved to grab him. "You will come with us, immediately!"

Quickly, Ben moved his right hand, as if to slam it down on the Omnitrix. "Buster, I can change myself into a five-ton-plus _dinosaur_, and I am in a _nasty_ mood; does that sound like a combination you want to mess with?" he asked, causing the Knights to freeze. "I'll find my own way in."

The second piped up. "We can't just let you wander around our stronghold!"

"Then don't," Ben said with a shrug. "Keep as many eyes on me as you want, but I'm walking in on my own; anybody who has a problem with that can talk to Humongousaur."

The first Knight bit down on a curse, before taking out his communicator. "Patrol One to all personnel; converge on main entrance! Tennyson is coming in!"

Ben chuckled dryly. "Smart move," he said. "Well, I guess I'd better not keep Connor waiting." With that, he strolled inside, followed by the guards, as dozens more Knights began to join them, keeping their eyes on him…and giving Gwen and Kevin the opening they needed…

XXXXXXXX

"Lo? Lo, can you hear us?"

When Lo came to, the first thing she noticed was her splitting headache. "Ugh…" she groaned, sitting up from the cold floor. '_God, this feels even worse than when I woke up after the party…_'

Looking around, Lo found that she was in what looked like an old warehouse – specifically, she, Emma, Fin, Reef, and Broseph were in the back garage of said warehouse, situated in the very back of the main storage-area. "What…what's going on?" she murmured…before she remembered encountering those weird knights. "O-Oh my God! W-We've been _kidnapped!_"

Fin sighed. "No kidding," she said flatly.

Spotting the open garage door, Lo brightened. "Guys, they left the door open! We can run for it!"

Reef grimaced. "Kinda tried that already, bra," he said, as he reached down, picking up an old soda-can, and then threw it towards the garage-door…where it spanged against a wall of invisible force. "Running into that thing is _not_ fun," he added, pointing to a small burn-mark on his forehead.

"Yeah; apparently these guys are more than just sci-fi/fantasy buffs," Fin agreed. Her expression turned regretful as she looked to Reef. "You…you didn't have to push me out of the way."

Reef gulped, scratching his head. "It was that or watch you get fried, betty."

Fin folded her arms. "Interesting response from someone who told Ben to rip me to shreds."

Reef chuckled nervously. "Well, yeah, okay, but I didn't think he'd _actually_ do it," he replied. "That knight guy was _going_ to."

Fin looked away, her face a little rosy. "Oh."

Emma still looked freaked by the whole ordeal. "W-What do these guys want?"

It was then that Lo remembered Ben's phone-chat with that "Connor." "B-Ben," she murmured. "T-These psychos want to…to _kill_ him! They're making him come here! They're going t-to _kill_ him in exchange for us!"

Broseph gulped. "Whoa…heavy…"

Fin looked guilty.

Lo kept going. "This doesn't make any sense? Why would these creeps go after Ben?"

"A very good question."

Freezing, Lo turned towards the force-field, in time to see Connor, flanked by two knights sporting high-tech rifles, walked up to them, smirking. "Tennyson hasn't told any of you _anything_, has he?"

Lo frowned, forcing down her earlier terror, as she relied on an old tactic of hers: when getting talked down at, go _bitchy._ "Who are you?" she snapped. "Do you have _any __**idea**_ who you just…"

"Lauren Joanna Ridgemount, born August 7, 1994," Connor stated flatly, as if reading from a file. "We know precisely who you are, Ms. Ridgemount – who _all_ of you are. We also know who you have been associating with." He chuckled darkly. "Something you do _not_ know, it seems."

Lo froze. "W-What's _that_ supposed to mean?"

Connor looked her in the eye. "Tell me, girl: did it never strike you as _odd_ that your paramour was never in the vicinity of any of the strange creatures you've encountered, this past month?"

Lo blinked, confused; Ben _hadn't_ ever been around when a monster showed up. "Wha…What does _that_ have to do with anything?"

Connor kept going. "Did you not wonder about that strange watch upon his wrist? Surely you must have noticed."

"So he has a tacky watch! Big deal!" Lo shouted. "Ben's not on trial, here, you sicko!"

Connor scowled. "Oh, I beg to differ, child," he snapped. "That wretch has a great _deal_ to answer for."

"So you're going to…to _kill_ him?" Lo cried. "Ben's never done _anything_ to you!"

At that both Connor and his two cohorts burst out laughing. "Oh, you poor, deluded child!" Connor sneered. "If you only _knew_ what Ben Tennyson was _really_ capable of!" Suddenly, his communicator flickered on, prompting him to check it. "But perhaps you should hear it from _him._" Flicking a switch on it, Connor spoke into his communicator. "Let him in."

The instant Connor spoke, the main entrance to the loading-area opened, allowing dozens of knights, all bearing high-tech weapons, to pour into the room, all circling around something as they inched forward in a circle-formation…or rather, some_one._

_Ben._

Lo's mouth dropped open, her eyes going wide as she saw her boyfriend in the center of that ring of steel, surrounded by armed goons on all sides, and yet walking ahead as if nothing was wrong, ignoring them completely. Ben's expression was firm, but it softened as his eyes met hers.

Lo knew her friends had to be as incredulous as she was, her mind trying to process what was happening. '_This doesn't make any sense! It's as if these guys are afraid of…_'

Ben's gaze suddenly snapped to the side, as he glowered at the knights, moving his left hand – bearing his watch – in front of him, and then raising his right hand as if to slam down on it.

Instantly, every single knight moved back five steps, keeping well away from him.

Lo was dead silent; her theory was right.

_They_ were afraid of _him._

Lowering his hand, Ben glared at Connor. "I see you've gotten some new recruits, Connor," he spat. "They're skittish."

Connor glared back. "One works with what one has," he retorted. "I suppose we have _you_ to thank for that."

Looking past Connor, Ben looked worried as he met his friends' gazes. "You guys okay?"

"Uh…yeah, we're fine," Fin murmured. "As much as we can be, at least."

Putting aside her confusion, Lo cried out, "Ben, you have to get out of here! These psychos are going to…"

"I know, Lauren," Ben answered. "Trust me: I'm going to get you out of this." He turned back to Connor. "Alright Connor, I'm here. Let them go."

Connor chuckled. "I think not, Tennyson; Ms. Ridgemount was rather confused as to why we had to bring you here," he sneered. "You haven't told her anything, have you?"

Ben looked away. "No."

Lo froze, her eyes wide. "B-Ben?"

"I must say I am surprised!" Connor mocked. "Surely the great "Ben 10" is not ashamed of his deeds!"

Emma arched an eyebrow. ""Ben _10?_""

Lo's confusion only doubled. "Ben, what is he _talking_ about?"

Ben stayed silent as Connor kept going. "Surely a "hero" as yourself is not ashamed of his "victory" against the Forever Knights? How he stole our sacred duty from us, betraying all of mankind…"

"Oh, get _over_ yourselves!" Ben shouted, cutting him off. "Seriously, Connor – your whole "nobility" act is getting _old!_ If you guys are going to do this, then stop pretending and _admit_ what the Forever Knights _really_ are: just another bunch of tarted-up, xenophobic, terrorist _pricks!_"

Reef gulped. "Uh, dude? Why are you _pissing_ _off_ the guys with guns?"

Broseph nodded nervously. "Yeah, bro; it never ends well."

Connor's furious expression only supported that idea; taking out a small remote-control, he tapped a button on it, lowering the force-field as five Knights took aim at them with their weapons. "Tennyson, you have all but _signed_ their death-warrants..!"

"_Wait!_" Ben cried. "You came here to off _me_, remember? They're not part of this!" His eyes narrowed. "You want my neck, right? Then they _walk!_"

Connor tapped the button again, raising the field, before drawing his immense broadsword, the blade crackling with electricity as it cleared the sheath. "Then come and meet your fate, whelp."

Lo was reeling. "_Ben, NO!_"

Ben didn't move. "What assurance do I have you'll keep your word?"

"None, save my word that they _will_ perish if you do not obey."

His eyes closing, Ben started to walk towards him. Fin was near tears. "States, are you _crazy?_ Get out of here! Call the police!"

Emma wasn't far behind. "_Run_, Ben! Don't let these sickos…"

"_Guys._" Ben's voice was soothing. "It's gonna be okay."

By then, he was just steps away from Connor, well within striking-distance of that terrible blade. Connor's voice was even sharper. "_Kneel._"

As Ben dropped to one knee, Lo felt something inside her start wrenching itself in two. Tears fell from her eyes. "_B-Ben, no…_"

Ben just lowered his head, awaiting the fatal blow. Hefting his sword, Connor lifted it high into the air. "Let the justice of the Forever Knights be done!" he shouted. "So say I!"

The Knights echoed him. "_So say we all!_" With that, Connor brought the blade down…

"_NOW!_"

Ben's voice echoed through the chaos as Connor started his downward slice; instantly, a beam of deep magenta energy lanced out of the darkness from above, encircling the deadly blade and stopping it millimetres from Ben's neck. At that very same instant, a second beam propelled a young man – resembling the one Lo had seen with Ben, today, except he seemed to be made of metal – directly into Connor, smashing into him like a cannonball and knocking him flat on his rear, before a red-haired young woman – Ben's cousin, Lo surmised – dropped down from the shadows, stopping her descent with two more energy-beams…coming from her _fists._ Her eyes taking on that same eerie glow, the girl unleashed a sweeping energy-wave, driving back all the knights that had been about to converge on them.

Irate, Connor struggled to his feet. "_TREACHERY!_"

Ben smirked. "You said no Plumbers or police, Connor; you never said anything about _them!_"

The girl's eyes glowed brighter. "You mess with Ben, you mess with _us!_"

The metal man cracked his knuckles. "And you mess with us, you're just really freakin' _stupid,_" he snarked. "So, Lancelot, you gonna let them go, or do we have to kick your tin-plated butts?"

Connor's gaze was murderous. "This changes _nothing_, two-faced whelp! The Forever Knights shall be avenged, this day!"

Ben glared back. "It's _always_ the hard way with you creeps, isn't it?" he snapped. "Kevin: keep these chumps off my back! Gwen: be ready for a Slingshot Maneuver!"

Kevin grinned. "All _right!_ I _love_ that one!" With that, Ben darted straight at Connor, while Kevin dashed after him. Two Knights moved to intercept Ben, but Kevin picked up the pace, slamming a metal foot into his chest with a flying kick, before grabbing him and tossing him into the other, clearing Ben's pace.

With a roar of anger, Connor, swung his blade at Ben, but Ben just ducked right under it, launching himself forward to tackle into Connor. As the Knights' leader stumbled back, Ben used his knee as a stepping-stone, leaping off the ground to slam his chin with a flip-kick, landing on his feet as Connor fell on his ass. "Gwen, do it now!"

Repulsing five Knights with a wall of mauve force, Gwen saw ten Knights charging her cousin from behind, and quickly gestured; instantly two energy-spheres appeared to Ben's sides, extending beams that quickly enveloped him and stretched back, before sling-shooting him into the air. Soaring over the charging Knights, Ben executed a perfect mid-air flip, landing behind them, right next to the force-field holding his friends. Getting back on his feet, Connor glowered at Ben. "Making your stand against us does nothing to aid your cohorts, Tennyson! You cannot disengage that field without a control-unit…"

Ben grinned. "Lucky I've got fast hands, then!" he chortled, taking out the remote he'd lifted from Connor when he'd tackled him. "Look what I got!" His eyes wide, Connor checked the folds of his cloak, and found his remote gone. Pointing it at the field, Ben pressed the button, dropping the barrier. "Okay, guys; be ready to run when I give the signal. _Do NOT_ move until I say so!"

The five others were _all_ in shock now, not just Lo. "Dude…what the _hell?_" Reef cried.

"Yeah, man!" Broseph agreed. "Since when are you all…_action-hero_, bro?"

"Explanations later!" Ben declared. "Right now, we're getting you all out of here!"

Emma grimaced. "Ben, we are _way_ outnumbered, here! We'll never get past them!"

Ben's eyes narrowed as he glanced at the Knights. "Trust me, Em; they're going to be _way_ too busy with me to bother you."

Fin cringed. "States, you're just _one_ guy…"

Ben held up his left hand – the one with his watch. "No, Fin; I'm _not._" His expression saddening, Ben met Lo's gaze. "Lo…I'm so sorry I didn't tell you before. I _wanted_ to; God, I _tried_ to, before…"

Lo had been silent until then, not trusting her voice. "T-Tell me _what?_"

Ben closed his eyes. "_This._" With that, he depressed the two dials on each side of the watch.

Instantly, the watch's dial popped up, raising itself out of the frame, revealing glowing, green-black circuitry beneath it, as a bright green light shone up from the watch's face…which became a holographic image.

The image of the red fish-monster she'd seen on her first day.

Lo's eyes went wide. "B-Ben, that's the..!"

"The thing you saw. I know." As Ben twisted the dial, the image flickered out, to be replaced by that of a tiny, smooth-skinned humanoid…then some kind of moth-thing…then the crab-creature…and then the massive dinosaur she, Fin, and Emma had seen. As Ben stopped twisting the dial, the image suddenly flickered again, changing into that of a tall, _very_ strongly-built humanoid creature…with four eyes, and an equal number of arms. Seeing it, Ben smiled wearily. "Well, now's as good a time as any!" he declared, as he raised his right arm over the watch. "_I'M GOIN' HERO!_"

And he slammed his hand down.

The very second the watch's dial contacted the frame, it started to spin, generating a brilliant green light as it cycled, causing Lo's face to go pale as she watched, transfixed like her friends were. The emerald luminosity spread out from Ben's arm, engulfing his entire body in a huge green sphere of light; Lo could see the shadowed silhouette of her boyfriend within the sphere, arching back as his fists clenched, before doubling over…as he started to _change._

For a very long split-second, Ben's skeleton became outlined in the light; instantly, they began to _grow_, becoming larger, denser, stronger, pushing him up to over twelve feet tall. As his arms spread wide, they suddenly split, becoming _four_ arms, while his fingers fused together, becoming only two digits, plus a thumb on each hand. His skull was illuminated by the light, showing his two eye-sockets…which suddenly became _four._

The changes to his skeleton seemingly done, Ben's body began to re-grow muscle, causing his entire physique to bulk up enough to make the WWE's wrestlers _green_ with envy; his massive legs now rippled with muscle, while his arms – his _four_ arms – each sported biceps the size of cooking hams, with forearms that Popeye would have been proud to call his own, connected to an enormous torso by twenty-inch-thick deltoids. While his muscles regenerated, Ben's hair sunk back into his scalp, his skin turning blood-red…

…and when the light finally dimmed, in Ben's place now stood an _enormous_, crimson-skinned, four-armed humanoid, with four golden-amber eyes, clad in tight black muscle-pants, and a green-black t-shirt, with the watch's green hourglass-crest on the chest, his hands covered by black fingerless gloves, with a black stripe down the back of his bald head. "_FOURARMS!_"

The new Ben's roar shook Lo out of her shock enough to react. "W-W-W-W-_Wha..?_"

Reef paled. "Oh, man…oh, man…the betty was _right…_"

Seeing Ben's change, the guy – Kevin – grinned. "Hey, nice to see one of the classics!"

The girl – Gwen – nodded, as she blasted two more Knights, before quickly raising a barrier to repel more incoming shots. "Yes, Ben, it's nice you got Fourarms back…so will you please help us?"

Ben – or "Fourarms" – grinned savagely as he flexed all four of his hands, his voice now chesty, and resonant. "Music to my ears, Gwen!" As one knight came at him, Fourarms knocked him straight up with an uppercut from his lower left arm, and followed with an upper-right-cross that echoed with a resounding _crack,_ sending him flying across the room, to crash into two more, knocking all three of them out. Ducking under the airborne knight, Connor came at him, blade drawn, unleashing a downward slash, but Fourarms caught it easily with his top arms, countering by double-punching his lower fists into Connor's stomach. Connor doubled over, clutching his gut, at which point Fourarms clocked him with a left jab to the face, followed by a low-right uppercut, a low-left body-blow, and then finished with a savage headbutt. "Gwen! Shield Kevin!" Fourarms, ordered, pulling all four arms back. Instantly understanding, Gwen formed a shield-bubble around herself and Kevin, hunkering down under it.

Watching Connor stagger to his feet, Fourarms' eyes narrowed. "Hope yer medical insurance is paid up, pal," he snarled, "'cause _this_ is for kidnapping my girl!" And with that, he slammed all four hands together.

Fourarms' clap let loose a massive shockwave, literally rippling the air as it surged through the Forever Knights, blowing them away like leaves in the wind, slamming them against the wall as it caused Gwen's barrier to tremble, until it finally died away, letting the mayhem settle in its wake. Grinning, Fourarms tapped the dial on his chest; the green light flashed again, depositing a normal-looking Ben back in Fourarms' place. "Oh, yeah! Just like riding a bike!"

Dropping her shield, Gwen sighed. "Did you _have_ to do that?"

Ben blinked. "He was going to hurt Lo and the others…"

Coughing, Connor got to his feet, starting to walk away as he drew his communicator. "Mobilize…the reserve-troops!" he ordered. "Have them storm the premises, and ready my war-armour!"

As Connor fled, Kevin arched an eyebrow. "Did he say _reserve_ troops?"

Gwen flinched. "He said reserve troops!" she exclaimed. "Ben, we have to go, _now!_"

Ben nodded. "You two take point, and thin them out; I'll hang back and cover the others!" As his two teammates hurried ahead, Ben turned to the five of them. "Guys, we gotta go! Follow me!"

The five of them just stared.

Ben groaned. "Guys, it's _me!_ Come _on!_"

Fin took a deep breath. "Hey, it can't be worse than sticking around with these armoured nuts!" With that, she hurried out.

Reef nodded, quickly following her. "I'm with Fin on this one!" Neither Emma nor Broseph argued, as they too hurried out.

Only a still-shocked Lo remained, staring wide-eyed at Ben, trying to process what had happened, until Ben's shout shook her out of it. "Lo, we have to go, _now!_" Stricken, Lo hurried out of their former holding-cell, following Ben and their friends out of the warehouse.

As Ben led them through a corridor, he waved them back as a hailstorm of laser-fire blistered from around a corner, seconds before Gwen stepped back, a barrier raised to repel the shots. "Connor's reserve-troops just got here!" she warned. "We could use a little help!"

Ben popped up the watch's dial. "On it!" he declared, slamming it down. The green light flared again, and Lo saw her breath turn to mist as Ben morphed into a robe-clad, blue-black bug-creature…whose robe opened into a pair of moth-wings. "_Big…Chill!_"

Emma's hands flew to her mouth, suppressing a gasp.

Leaping into the air, the new Ben – Big Chill – flew over Gwen's barrier, gliding towards the six Knights opening fire at them; seeing him approach, the Knights turned their shots skyward, but Big Chill folded his wings back around himself, turning a glowing, translucent blue, causing the shots to pass _through_ him, harmlessly. Big Chill kept going, flying through their defensive fire…and dove into the ground, passing into it, leaving a patch of ice in his wake. Confused, the Knights looked down, trying to find their target…and never saw Big Chill rise out of the ground behind them. Breathing out a cloud of frigid fog, Big Chill opened his wings and flapped, blowing it over the Knights, causing their armour to instantly ice over. Four of the six dropped instantly, shivering, but two stayed up, trying to attack him through their tremors; as the first came at him, Big Chill phased himself, letting the Knight pass through, chilled down to the bone, before turning solid to block the punch of the second and finish him with an uppercut, leaving an icy fist-print on his chin as he fell.

With the Knights taken care of, Big Chill tapped the dial on his chest, turning back to Ben, once more. "Where's Kevin?"

Gwen dropped her barrier. "He'd gone ahead when the reinforcements hit; we need to get to him, fast!" Ben just nodded, as he and his cousin sprinted ahead, forcing the others to hurry along after them.

Minutes after leaving one group of Knights behind, they were stopped by the laser-fire of an even _larger_ group – they had just sighted the exit, only to see an airborne Knight, propelled by Kevin's punch, fly through the doors and hit the wall, revealing Kevin just outside the exit, pummelling one Knight after another, while dozens upon dozens more peppered him with laser-fire, nicking fragments out of his metal skin, revealing human flesh underneath. Decking one with a haymaker, Kevin glanced over his shoulder and saw them, before slamming another with an uppercut, and then booting him into two more. "Any time now, guys!"

Raising a shield with one hand, Gwen fired energy-beams into the attacking Knights, blasting five and sending them flying, before massing her beam and sweeping it across the field, knocking over ten more…but more kept coming. "Guys, this isn't working! We need to hit them all at once, or we'll never get out of here!"

Looking around, Ben spotted an old wrench lying by the wall, and got an idea. "Kevin! Pull back here for a minute!" he shouted, before popping up the watch's dial and slamming it down; instantly, he morphed into a tiny, white-skinned humanoid…which instantly made two copies of itself. "_Echo-Echo!_"

Reef gulped at the sight of Ben's new form.

Drop-kicking two more Knights, Kevin pulled back into the entrance. "What's the plan, Ben?"

Quickly, two of the creatures grabbed hold of Kevin's shins, facing outward, while the third hopped onto his head. "_Fin! See – that – wrench?_" he asked, his voice a stilted monotone. "_Take it – and – whack – Kevin – on – the back!_"

Kevin's eyes widened. "_That's_ your plan? Play "Whack-a-Levin"?"

Gwen rolled her eyes. "Echo-Echo amplifies waves, remember?" she groaned. "You're a _tuning-fork!_"

"Oh, yeah. I knew that."

Picking up the wrench, Fin gulped. "You know this is nothing personal, right?"

"Yeah, whatever; just plug your ears." With that, Fin pulled back, and slammed the wrench across Kevin's metal back.

_GOOOOONNGG!_

Kevin's entire body resonated like a church-bell, vibrating in his chest and then spreading out through his whole frame…and into the three Echoes, who puffed up, inhaling deeply…and unleashed a trio of deadly, ultra-high-intensity sonic screams. Even with her ears covered, Lo cringed – even _one_ scream would have been enough to shake all of George's fillings clean out of his _teeth_ – as she watched the waves of sonic force blast out from the warehouse, blowing through the Knights and toppling them like dominoes.

As Echo-Echo's screams died away, he hopped off of Kevin, reabsorbing his duplicates and tapping his dial, becoming Ben, once more. Glancing at the state of the entrance, damaged by his sonic attack, he paled. "That entrance isn't going to hold, much longer! We need to clear out!" he declared. "Gwen, hold the ceiling up as long as you can! Kevin, get everyone to the evac-site!"

Nodding, Gwen darted outside, projecting a barrier directly under the weakening ceiling, holding it up. Kevin was the next one out, motioning for the others to follow; Reef, Fin, Emma, and Broseph eagerly followed, racing across the warehouse field, out towards their rendezvous point, but Lo stayed firmly put, frozen to the spot. Seeing her wide-eyed stare, Ben grimaced. "Lo, we have to go..!"

Her shock finally wearing off, Lo felt hysteria grab hold of her with a vengeance. "H-How did you _do_ that?" she wailed. "You…you just…just _changed!_ One second you were you, and then you were…something _else!_ H-How did you..?"

_**BOOOOOM!**_

Lo's frantic cry turned to a horrified scream as a massive laser-blast impacted the entrance from the outside, breaking Gwen's support-field and causing rubble to cave in, blocking their path as it caught on fire. Gwen tried to clear it, but she was forced to raise another barrier as another blast smashed into it, almost shattering it. "Ben, these guys must have artillery, or something! I can't track it and dig you out at the same time!"

Ben called back through the rubble. "Gwen, get out of here!" he shouted. "There's a side-entrance, just a few feet east, so we'll be okay! Get to the evac-site; we'll meet you there!"

Stricken, Gwen nodded reluctantly. "Be careful!" Focusing her shields around herself, she raced off.

Lo had already started hyperventilating. "Oh God…oh God…this isn't happening, this isn't happening…"

"Lo, calm down!" Ben said. "I told you; I'm getting you out of this!"

Lo was too busy freaking out to listen. "W-We're gonna _DIE!_"

"Lauren, _listen_ to me!" Taking her by the shoulders, Ben looked her in the eyes. "I am _not_ going to let _anything_ happen to you, but I need you to stay calm, okay?" Terrified, Lo could only nod. "Good! Now, we need to get moving!" With that, Ben took her by the hand, and hurried off, leading her away from the growing flames.

By the time they reached the side-exit, most of the warehouse had caught on fire. Racing down the fire-escape, they sprinted across the warehouse's loading-yard, making for the open gate. "See? We're almost there!" Ben declared. "Just a few more…" He paused, his eyes going wide as a whistling noise filled the air. "_Lo, GET DOWN!_"

Darting towards her, Ben pushed Lo out of the way seconds before another laser-blast exploded _millimetres_ from their earlier positions; the closest one to the blast, Ben was hit hardest, the shockwave sending him flying across the yard, landing hard, holding his side. Lo only got clipped, and went tumbling to the ground, landing on her rear. Sitting up, Lo felt tears of pure fear leak from her eyes, as she stayed right where she was, unable to even _move._

Groaning, Ben struggled to his feet, as he saw a familiar figure walk out of the flames: Connor, clad in a high-tech version of his earlier armour, with a black visor across his helmet's face, a glowing energy-shield on his left forearm, and a large plasma-cannon attached to his right shoulder. "Never in my wildest dreams did I think I would ever need this, Tennyson; consider yourself honoured," Connor sneered, pulling the cannon down and lining up a shot.

As the plasma-blast roared out of the cannon, Ben was barely able to roll clear of it, only to be sent airborne by the blast-wave. Coughing, he got up again, wiping a trickle of red from his lip. "What, I'm supposed to be _grateful_ for you trying to kick my ass?"

Connor had already closed on him, slamming his plate-armoured foot into Ben's stomach. "I care not _how_ you die, treacherous whelp; merely that you _DIE!_" He then punctuated the sentence with a backhand; reacting fast, Ben blocked it, wincing as his arms connected with the plate-mail, before trying to reverse the attack, but Connor was one step ahead, kneeing him in the stomach and headbutting him away, knocking him back on his butt. Ben tried to get up, but Connor closed on him again, pressing his foot painfully into Ben's wrist.

His _left_ wrist.

Scowling, Connor reached for his cannon. "That Omnitrix will not avail you now, Tennyson," he sneered. "Honour _will_ be satisfied!" With that, he started to power the cannon…

Looking back, Lo still didn't remember how it happened.

One minute, she'd been sitting on the asphalt, crying and freaking out about how she was going to die…and the next, she'd grabbed a piece of metal pipe she'd seen nearby, racing towards Connor.

_CLANG!_

The sound of metal striking metal shook Lo back to her senses; blinking, she found herself standing behind Connor…holding the pipe that had just clanged harmlessly against his armour. '_Oh my GOD…what did I just DO?_'

Turning around, utterly unhurt, Connor fixed her with a deadly glare, not even _remotely_ amused. "_That_, my very foolish girl, was a _fatal_ mistake," he ground out. He took hold of his cannon, aiming it towards her…

"_**NO!**_"

Ben's roar startled Connor as he pushed himself up just enough to break free of Connor's foot, sending him stumbling away as Ben stood up, popping up the dial of his watch, once more. "You aren't laying one _finger_ on her!" he snarled, as he slammed the dial back down.

Instantly, the green energy took hold of Ben once more, engulfing and transforming him; his entire body began to puff up like a balloon, his head sinking into his torso, which grew wider as his arms swelled to thicker proportions, his fingers stiffening into claws. His back grew thick, armour-like plates, starting at his spine and spreading, across his shoulders and down his back and legs, while oval-shaped plates dotted his arms, covering his now pasty-white, spongy flesh…

…and when the light faded, a new being stood in his place, slightly taller, and somewhat pudgy, with short arms, clawed hands, and short legs ending in elephant-like feet, its back covered with orange-yellow armour-like plates, its underlying skin pure white, with its eyes and mouth in the middle of its torso. "_CANNONBOLT!_"

Snarling with fury, Connor started to aim his cannon at the new Ben – Cannonbolt – who simply curled in on himself, turning into a massive yellow-orange ball, which shrugged off Connor's shots like nothing, before it started to spin, peeling out and racing away. Accelerating to alarming speed, Cannonbolt impacted a nearby industrial loader and bounced off, ricocheting right back at Connor, bowling him over and sending him flying. Zooming right past Lo, Cannonbolt bounced off a truck, and darted right back at Connor, sending him sprawling once more and knocking off pieces of his armour. Angling to the side, Cannonbolt rolled into a turn along the warehouse wall, peeling straight at Connor and plowing over him again, knocking off most of his armour. Spinning in reverse, Cannonbolt stopped, and rolled back, before doing a brief hop, to land squarely on Connor's back, knocking the wind out of him, and then hopping off, unrolling in mid-air.

All the while, Lo held her hands over her ears, tears leaking from her eyes, cringing as she saw the flames spreading…

Seeing the fire spread, Cannonbolt knew he had to get Lo out fast…but not before he made one thing clear. Glaring down at the dazed Forever Knight, he grabbed Connor by the collar, and lifted him up to his eye-level. "Here's how it's going to work, Connor! I can't turn you in to the Plumbers, right now, so you're going to go back to Forever King Patrick, or whoever the hell it is running your country-club, right now, and you're gonna give him this message!"

His eyes narrowed. "Sunset Island is _off LIMITS!_" he thundered. "If I spot you near _any_ of my friends – if I hear tell of even a _medieval festival_ – if I so much as see an _infinity symbol_ where I shouldn't see one – then you're Wile E. Coyote and I'm an ACME-Brand _anvil:_ I will drop out of the sky and land on your _head! GOT_ that?"

Connor just scowled, but he nodded.

With that, Cannonbolt dropped him. "Good!" Turning towards Lo, he scampered towards her as fast as his stumpy legs could move; as Cannonbolt reached her, Lo felt his arms encircle her waist, before she felt herself get encased in white matter, with the same consistency as campfire-marshmallows.

Rolling himself around Lo, Cannonbolt peeled out, racing through the flames and knocking down the fence, leaving the warehouse far behind as he rolled towards the rendezvous-point, coming to a stop in front of Gwen, Kevin, and the others, before unrolling, and letting a dizzy Lo get back on her feet.

Seconds after Cannonbolt arrived, an explosion echoed from the warehouse, drawing everyone's attention towards it. Reef's eyes were wide. "_Whoa…_"

Cannonbolt chuckled. "Yeah; that's how _I_ roll."

Gwen and Kevin both groaned. "Ben, _tell_ me you didn't just say that," Gwen murmured.

Turning his gaze towards Lo, whose expression was one of utter fright, he took one step forward. "Lo, are you okay?"

Lo took a big step _back._

Cannonbolt looked hurt…until he glanced at his hands. "Oh. Right." As he said that, the dial on his chest started flaring red, beeping faster and faster, until a flare of ruby light flashed, turning Ben back to normal. "There; good as new," he said, chuckling wearily, before turning serious. Meeting her gaze, he took another step. "I know I have a lot of explaining to…"

"_Stay away!_"

Ben's motion put Lo into full-blown hysterics. "_Stay away, stay away, stay AWAY from me!_" she shrieked. "Oh my God…oh my _God_, it was _YOU!_ All along, that red thing I saw was _YOU!_"

Ben flinched, before extending a pleading hand. "Lo…"

"_Don't TOUCH me! Don't even come NEAR me!_" Lo screamed, tears of fury streaming down her eyes. "W-What the hell _ARE_ you? Was _anything_ you told me real?"

Ben was frozen to the spot, his eyes wide.

Gwen's eyes were narrowed, her fists clenched. "So much for gratitude," she snapped. "_Why'd_ you want to save her, again?"

At that very moment, the Whale Bus pulled up, breaking the awkward spell. "Hey, dudes! Johnny-bro said you all needed a lift!" The Kahuna greeted, popping his head out the window, before noticing their grim expressions. "Whoa, major harshness, groms; what's the damage?"

Ben sighed. "You know that karma of mine, Kahuna?" he asked. "It caught up with me."

The Kahuna flinched. "Bummer, bro."

Ben cast a saddened gaze at Lo, who looked away angrily. "Yeah," he agreed. "Bummer."

XXXXXXXX

_Staff-House_

After the Whale Bus had pulled up outside the hotel, alongside Kevin's car, Ben, Kevin, and Gwen had led the five groms – one of which was decidedly _not_ speaking to Ben – back to the Staff House, while Ben thanked his lucky stars that The Kahuna didn't ask any questions.

He already had enough of those to answer.

By the time they reached the Staff House, night had fallen, with a distraught Johnny was waiting for them. "A-Are you guys okay?"

Broseph nodded nervously. "I guess so, bro…at least, as much as a grom can be, after seeing another grom turn into a bunch of monsters."

Ben sighed. "Yeah; I've got some explaining to do."

"Understatement of the _millennium_, dude!" Reef cried. "How the heck did you do that?"

Fin nodded, her expression hurt, but not as angry as before – though Lo's expression more than picked up the slack. "Seriously, was _anything_ you told us for real?"

"_Yes_, Fin, it was!" Ben defended. "My name is Benjamin Kirby Tennyson…and yes, I'm aware that telling you my middle name probably didn't help my cause, here. I do live in Bellwood, I am on the Bellwood Bruisers soccer-team, and I did take home the MVP award!" He sighed. "That just wasn't the whole story."

Gwen frowned. "You don't have _anything_ to apologize for, Ben," she insisted, turning to the groms. "No matter what you all think, Ben's as normal as any of you!"

Emma folded her arms. "Gwen, I'm pretty sure "normal guys" can't turn into monsters!"

Ben held up his left wrist. "They can if they've got one of _these._"

Reef blinked. "That funky watch, dude? What's that got to do with…"

"It's _not_ a watch, Reef," Ben said. "It's called an Omnitrix, and I think it's safe to say it's the most powerful device in pretty much the entire universe. It carries the DNA-samples of just about every known species in this galaxy and a few others; it was designed to temporarily change one person into the species of another – to, literally, let you walk a mile in someone else's shoes." He took a deep breath. "The creatures you've all seen weren't monsters, guys; they were _aliens._"

Broseph's eyes went wide. "_Aliens,_ bro? As in, crop-circles, flying-saucers, take-me-to-your-leader, please-don't-probe-my-butt _aliens?_"

Gwen suppressed a giggle. "I don't know about that last part, Broseph, but yes."

Kevin grinned. "Just be advised: next time you see lights in the sky, do _not_ flip them off. It's generally a bad idea."

"Kevin!"

Johnny gulped. "But…where did it come from? How did you get it?"

Broseph started to grin. "Wait, dudes, I _got_ it! Your folks work at Area 51, right? They were experimenting with alien DNA, it blew up, and somehow you got caught in the…"

Ben chuckled, shaking his head. "Sorry, Broseph; human hands had _nothing_ to do with designing the Omnitrix – that credit goes to Azmuth, of a species called the Galvans," he said, before his expression drooped. "Me getting the Omnitrix was nothing but a random, ass-backwards _accident:_ I was on vacation with Gwen and Grandpa Max when I was 10, and I saw this meteor fall from the sky. I went to check it out, I saw this strange pod, and when it opened up to reveal the Omnitrix, it just jumped onto my wrist – wrong place, wrong time. It was _supposed_ to have gone to Grandpa Max, since another Plumber named Xylene sent it to him."

Fin arched an eyebrow. "Why would someone that cleans pipes have something like that?"

"Not that kind of Plumber, Fin; the Plumbers we mean are an organization of intergalactic police-officers. Grandpa Max was – and still is – one of the best!" Gwen explained. "That's part of why Kevin and I have powers – we're Plumber's kids. Kevin's dad was an Osmosian – they can absorb energy from almost anything, and duplicate the structure of almost any kind of matter. As for me and Ben, our grandmother Verdona is an energy-being called an Anodite; Ben just takes more after Grandpa, and…I take after her."

Johnny slowly nodded. "So why were these knight-guys after Ben?"

Kevin scowled. "'Cause they're a rotten bunch, that's why."

"The Forever Knights deal in, among other things, dangerous alien technology for their own gain, while trying to kill off aliens that arrive on Earth," Gwen continued. "Some time ago, the three of us stopped them from killing a dragon-like alien they'd locked up and tortured for 1000 years, and they blamed Ben for letting it go home!"

Fin's expression turned guilty. "So…all those times monsters showed up here and in Bellwood..?"

"…were us _helping_ people, Fin," Ben finished. "That's what I've always done – or at least tried to do – with the Omnitrix." He sighed. "That's what Plumbers – and their kids – do: fight the battles others can't."

"So, alien DNA-tech, intergalactic cops, bad-guys, and superpowers?" Reef asked, frowning. "Do you realize what that sounds like?"

Kevin rolled his eyes. "Surprise us."

Reef's face turned into a full-blown _grin._ "That is the _coolest thing EVER!_" he exclaimed. "_DUDES!_ You're…you're like, straight out of a _comic-book!_"

Broseph's expression mirrored his. "_Yeah_, man! I mean, surfing's awesome, but it's gotta be _boring_ compared to kicking bad-guy butt! What are you doing _here?_"

Ben grinned back nervously. "At the time, I thought I was earning money for college, but it turns out Grandpa Max was also putting me in Plumber witness-protection, since the Forever Knights were after me." His smile faded. "Guess that didn't work out so well; sorry about that." As he spoke, he dared a glance towards Lo.

The entire time, Lo had been silent, her arms crossed, her eyes, still red from crying, narrowed angrily; as he said that, she turned, and walked away.

Kevin gulped. "Uh-oh; I know what _that_ look meant."

Ben grimaced. "I…I have to talk to her…"

Gwen sighed. "Go on, Ben; we can take it from here." Nodding, Ben hurried off, following Lo into the Staff House.

Seeing Lo walk into the living room, Ben ran after her. "Lo, I didn't want you to find out like…"

"Was it fun?"

Ben stopped as Lo rounded on him, her misty eyes glaring into his. "Lying to me, acting all normal while I was freaking out about "monsters" around the hotel! _Was. It. FUN?_"

Ben cringed. "I _tried_ to tell you, Lo; that time we thought we were stranded, I was going to tell you then and there…"

Lo plowed right over him. "_GOD_, Ben, do you have any _idea_ what you put me through? You made everyone – even my own family – think I was crazy! You made _ME_ think I was crazy!" she shouted. "And all along, _you_ were the one doing it! You knew I was right, and you said nothing!"

Ben frowned. "What was I supposed to say, Lo? "Oh, by the way, this watch I'm wearing can turn me into a bunch of alien creatures; wanna catch some waves?" You'd have laughed me off the beach!"

"Well, I'm not laughing now, am I?" Lo shot back. "God, just this morning, I was wondering just what it was that made this "Julie Yamamoto" dump your butt! Now I _know!_"

Ben felt something in his chest go cold. "What are you saying?"

"What do you _think_ I'm saying, Tennyson?" Lo snapped. "This summer, I was supposed to be hanging by the pool, shopping with my BFFs, and chilling at the spa! I _wasn't_ supposed to be working my butt off…and I _DEFINITELY_ wasn't supposed to be almost getting killed by armoured psychos because my boyfriend is some kind of…of…I don't even _KNOW_ what you are!"

Those words – a cruel twist on Julie's – turned Ben's heart to ice. "So…we're over?"

"We shouldn't have even _STARTED_, Ben!"

That was the final nail in the coffin. "Fine," Ben whispered.

"Fine!"

Lo's reply hardened what was left of Ben's heart; looking her in the eyes, he fixed her with a glare that could have made Vilgax wet himself. "_Fine._" With that, he turned and stormed out, keeping his gaze to the ground, to hide the wetness in his eyes.

As Ben walked out, he was met by the others; seeing his expression, Gwen's eyes went wide. "Ben? What's wrong?"

Ben didn't want to face them; not now. Cringing, he popped up the Omnitrix's dial, and slammed it down. "_Jetray!_" he shouted, as the change completed, leaving his old form behind, before he darted into the sky, flying off.

Lo had been heading for her room when she saw Jetray fly off through the second floor window; watching him go, Lo quickly turned away, opening the door and walking through, still seething…but as the door closed, her ire dissolved. Bursting into sobs, Lo flung herself onto her bed, burying her face in her pillow as she started bawling, wondering just how everything could have gone so wrong…

XXXXXXXX

_**Omnitrix Database**_

_**File-Name: **__Fourarms_

_**Species-Name: **__Tetramand_

_**Home planet: **__Khoros_

_**Abilities: **__Subject possesses strength and stamina well in excess of any other known species, including Highbreed; highly dense musculature, combined with thick epidermal layers, renders subject nearly impervious to physical injury. Subject possesses four arms and hands, all of which are highly, dextrous, allowing subject to handle multiple tasks simultaneously. Subject's four eyes are highly acute, and can detect threats at distances of over 10 kilometers away._

_**Description: **__The children of the desert-planet Khoros, the Tetramand species evolved in arguably the harshest conditions in the known galaxy. To compete for what precious little food and water that existed, only the strongest, toughest individuals were able to eke out a niche in this veritable hell-world, until millions of years of evolution had forged the mightiest organism to emerge from Khoros._

_Today, Tetramand society can widely be considered dystopian, with the strongest of the Tetramands rising to absolute power. Some Tetramands, however, choose to shun the repression of their homeworld, and join the galactic community. With their natural affinity for any and all forms of combat arts, it is no surprise that many such Tetramands find considerable success in the Galactic Ultimate Fighting Championship._

_**File-Name: **__Cannonbolt_

_**Species-Name: **__Arburian Pelarota_

_**Home planet: **__Arburia_

_**Abilities: **__Subject possesses highly dense, natural armour plating on dorsal plane, as well as on limbs, capable of resisting any and all impacts and conditions, including extreme heat, pH, and weapons-grade laser-fire. Subject can curling into a ball-form to extend said protection around entire body while rolling at high speed; the highly elastic nature of subject's underlying flesh allows for rapid recoil off of obstructing objects. However, due to rapid increases in inertia, this motion often prevents subject from holding a steady course. Outside of ball-form, subject's bulk inhibits locomotion, preventing it from moving quickly._

_**Description: **__Hailing from the verdant jungle-world of Arburia, the Arburian Pelarota's origins are remarkably similar to that of Earth's armadillo. Beginning life as foragers of insects buried deep underground, the Pelarota gradually developed the ability to burrow deeper into the earth by spinning itself. As time went by, Pelarotas with armoured epidermal layers had the greatest success finding deeply-buried food, which began the process of nature selecting those individuals with the toughest armour, until the Pelarota's hide was as tough as it is, today. Now borderline invulnerable to the predators of Arburia, curious Pelarotas began to explore their world, gradually laying the foundations of modern Pelarota society._

_Today, however, little is known about that society; in recent times, Arburia was destroyed by a cosmic parasite – dubbed "The Great One" by those in thrall of it – which eradicated practically every last trace of this proud species, with the only remaining Pelarota being a DNA-copy generated by the Omnitrix. However, recent studies have found a link between the Pelarotas and the Vulpinic Tortugans of planet Vulpin; the working theory suggests that a group of Pelarotas ventured out into space, landed on Vulpin, and were mutated by its polluted environment. Although the theory has yet to be evaluated, the notion that the Pelarota has survived, in some form, gives hope to many galactic xenobiologists – perhaps this species may one day return._

_Coming Soon:_

_With their budding relationship in tatters, Lo slips into denial, while Ben takes a more drastic step._

_Can the groms talk some sense into the two lovebirds before Ben walks away forever?_

_Or is it already too late for this summer romance?_

_Find out, when the first part of the Hanging Ten saga comes to its conclusion…_


	9. Boys of Summer

EPILOGUE: BOYS OF SUMMER

_Staff-House, July 19, 2010_

The morning sun had just peeked over the horizon, turning the sky pink, and edging the ocean a faint orange-green; in all, it was a typically perfect sunrise over Sunset Beach, but the groms, all sound asleep, missed it…

…save one.

Just outside his, Reef, and Broseph's room, Ben, in his street-clothes, sat by the door, his laptop computer in his lap, as he put the finishing touches on his letter. '_And…there! Done!_' he thought. '_Now, all I need is a printer…_'

Powering down his computer, he folded it up, and crept back into his room, gathering his things into his duffel bag, taking his surfboard, before he crept back out. Heading towards the stairs, he turned to look over his shoulder, his expression turning sad as he looked towards Lo's room, before hardening as he walked downstairs.

'_This is for the best,_' he told himself. '_I was kidding myself; I don't belong her…with her…_'

Coming into the living room, he quietly walked towards the entrance, and took one last look into the Staff House…

'_Goodbye, Lauren._'

…and then walked out, heading towards the beach.

Keeping his eyes focused at the ground, Ben scrunched them shut, fighting the trickle of tears that burned in the corner of his vision. '_I don't have a choice; I have to do this,_' he reiterated. '_I'd just be putting them – and her – in danger…and she doesn't even want me here…at least, not anymore…_'

He should have known better – there was no room for a social life in his line of work.

He just wished that realization hadn't hurt so much…

XXXXXXXX

_Surfer's Paradise, July 18_

_The night air was warm over Surfer's Paradise Hotel as the hotel-staff and patrons poured back into the resort; with the bomb-scare over – officially declared a dud – it was now safe to return, to the guests' relief._

_With so many eyes focused on heading in, nobody thought to look up; if they had, they might have spotted a lone silhouette, sitting on the edge of the roof, his knees pulled into his chest, all alone…which was exactly where Gwen found him._

_Generating several foot-sized force-fields, Gwen used them as stepping-stones, walking across the air, to sit down next to her cousin. "Ben?" she greeted, smiling gently. "Hey…"_

_Looking up, Ben smiled weakly, before looking back down…although not so fast that Gwen didn't catch the tears in his eyes. "I did it again, Gwen."_

_Gwen just stared._

"_I went and got my heart broken, again," Ben muttered, pulling his knees in closer. "I asked too much of a girl I liked, and…well, you can guess how it went."_

_Quickly fighting down her automatic anger at what Lo had done to her cousin, Gwen placed a comforting hand on Ben's shoulder. "It wasn't your fault, Ben," she soothed. "You didn't have a choice…"_

"_I should have learned my lesson, Gwen," Ben said bitterly. "I should have figured it out when Julie broke it off with me – there's no room for romance in what we do."_

_Gwen flinched. "Ben, don't think like that, okay?" she pleaded. "Remember when we were kids? My future self had to come get us to help out YOUR future self because he was acting all cold…"_

"_Gwen, did you ever wonder WHY Ben 10,000 turned out so harsh?" Ben asked. "I just found out!" He looked back down. "I don't get to be happy with anyone – not as long as I'm stuck with the Omnitrix – so I'd better just get used to it."_

_Gwen was almost in tears, herself. "Ben…"_

"_I can't stay here anymore, Gwen," Ben continued. "Right now, just…just being near her hurts." He looked her in the eyes. "Please, Gwen…get me out of here."_

_Gwen's expression was sad, but she nodded. "Okay."_

_Ben smiled faintly at that, before he looked back down. "Could…could I just…be alone for a while?"_

_Gwen hesitated. "Are you sure you're okay?"_

"_I will be, Gwen," Ben muttered. "I got through Julie dumping me; I'll handle Lo, too."_

_Gwen didn't buy that. "Will you?"_

_Ben snorted. "I'll have to." With that, he cast his gaze back down towards the ground, looking out at the beach, and the waters that gleamed with the moonlight._

_He was done talking._

_Slowly, Gwen walked away, conjuring more force-fields to head back down, making sure Ben couldn't see the cold fury building across her face at the thought of what Lauren Ridgemount had done to her cousin…_

XXXXXXXX

As his memories faded away, Ben found himself on the beach, walking along the white sand, looking at the waves as they lapped against the coast. '_I'm gonna miss this place…_'

"Hey, grom! What's happening?"

Turning, Ben smiled as he saw The Kahuna walking into the surf-shack, opening up for the day. "Hey, Kahuna," he said. "Just…saying good-bye."

The Kahuna blinked. "Somebody goin' somewhere, bro?"

"Yeah: _me._" Ben's smile faded. "I'm out of here, Kahuna – it's time to pack up and move along." With that, he handed his board towards the old surfer. "I just wanted to return this before I left."

The Kahuna frowned sadly. "Dude, _bummer,_" he replied. "You sure?"

Ben nodded. "I'm afraid so, man," he said. "I don't think I'll be needing this, anymore."

The Kahuna shook his head, pushing the board back towards Ben. "Don't say that, grom; you've got the blood of the Madcap in you – surfing's a part of you, especially now!" he insisted. "I'd hang onto it if I were you; pretty sure you'll be needing it."

Ben sighed. "If you say so." He turned to go. "It was nice meeting you."

"Ben."

Ben had just been walking off when The Kahuna spoke, an enigmatic smile on his face. "Don't worry about that karma of yours, bro; yeah, it's funky…but after whatever happened yesterday, I'm getting one righteous vibe, now. I'm thinking you're in for one _awesome_ summer!"

Ben chuckled dryly, before he walked off. "Kahuna, I _really_ wish I could believe you…"

XXXXXXXX

_Surfer's Paradise_

"Johnny, have you seen Ben at all, this morning?"

After donning her uniform in the change-room, Emma had been about to head to the DR, but decided to ask Johnny if he'd seen their fellow grom, since yesterday.

There hadn't been any sign of him since she'd woken up.

Sadly, Johnny shook his head. "Sorry, Em; neither I nor any of the guys have seen him, today," he answered. "When I checked, this morning, his stuff was all cleared out."

Emma looked stricken. "Do you think he's okay?"

Johnny chuckled, lowering his voice. "Emma, the guy can turn into a bunch of superpowered aliens; I don't think danger is something that he needs to worry about."

Emma shook her head. "Not physically, Johnny!" she said. "I mean, do you think he and Lo are okay? Ben looked _majorly_ bummed after he and Lo talked yesterday, and when I saw Lo going for a morning surf-sesh with Fin, she was, like, in total denial!"

Johnny shrugged. "I wish I had an answer, Emma; I'm still trying to wrap my head around that…what was it called again? Omnitrix?"

Emma could only nod, as she remembered everything that had happened, yesterday. "Yeah." She took a deep breath. "I'd better get going; call me if you see or hear from him, okay?"

"Sure."

Turning, Emma started to head towards the DR, passing the hotel's print-center as she went…but paused, as a familiar glint of green caught her eye. Looking over her shoulder, she saw Ben standing in the print-center, his surf-board leaning against the wall, his duffel-bag over his shoulder, holding his laptop, with a USB-cable linking it to a printer, which whirred as it expelled a sheet of paper. "_Ben!_"

Ben had just unhooked his computer from the printer when he heard her call, looking surprised as he turned to greet her. "Oh…h-hey, Emma."

Emma smiled as she raced over to him. "Ben, where _were_ you? You had all of us worried sick!"

Ben frowned. "I think you mean _almost_ all of you," he muttered, before he shook his head. "Sorry about that; I just…needed to be alone, for a bit."

Emma's expression turned sad. "It's not…because of Lo..?"

Quicker than about his watch, Ben changed the subject. "So…you guys don't hate me?" he asked. "I mean…after I got you guys almost…"

Emma smiled, shaking her head. "I think you getting us out of it kinda makes up for that," she said. "Plus, while you and Lo were talking, Gwen filled us in on a few things." Her smile grew. "You…actually saved the _universe? Twice?_"

Ben chuckled, scratching his head. "Well, the first time, I figured it was the least I could do, since it was kinda my fault that the Omnitrix almost blew up," he said. "And as for the incident with the Highbreed, that was a team effort…"

Emma laughed. "Okay, for the record, most guys – like Reef – wouldn't be able to shut up about something even a _tenth_ as awesome as that!" she exclaimed. "God, this place must be so _boring_ to you!"

Ben smiled wearily. "Em, after the past few months, all I wanted this summer was a nice normal job, a little vacation, and maybe a chance to find a special girl," he said. His smile faded, as he folded up his computer, put it back in his duffel bag, and took the sheet he'd just printed. "But I guess you can't always get what you want, can you?"

It didn't take a genius to figure out what had happened between Ben and Lo, last night. "Ben, Lo was just upset, that's all," Emma pleaded. "She'll come around…"

"Emma, why do you think my _last_ girlfriend ended things with me?" Ben asked, folding up his letter and slipping it into an envelope. "She couldn't handle me having the Omnitrix, and believe me, she _tried._ There's just no room for a social-life in my line of work. I was asking too much of her…and of Lo."

With that, he signed his name to the envelope, took his board, and walked out, heading towards the front desk, while Emma hurried after him. As they approached the desk, Emma spotted Bummer talking to Johnny; seeing them, Bummer turned towards them. "You're late, Tennyson!" he barked. "Get into uniform, pronto! Room 1113 needs room-service!"

His expression flat, Ben looked to Emma. "You know, Em, this might be the only part of today I'll actually _enjoy._" He turned back to Bummer. "No can do…_Bummer._"

Johnny had been taking a sip of his coffee as Ben said that; nearly _choking_, he almost sprayed it all over his computer.

Emma gasped, her hands flying to her mouth.

Bummer's eyes went wide, before they narrowed in pure rage. "_WHAT did you just call me?_"

"I think you heard me."

Bummer's damning pointer-finger was instantly in his face. "_STRIKE!_" he bellowed. "Now get to work, or you're _FIRED!_"

Ben just glared back at him. ""Fired," Bummer? You _can't_ fire me!" he snapped. "Wanna know why?"

He threw the letter in Bummer's face. "_Because I QUIT._"

Johnny froze.

Emma went pale.

Bummer's fury died down. "You're serious?"

"_Dead_ serious."

Bummer snorted. "Fine by me! Good _riddance!_" He turned to go. "I'll deliver this to Mr. Ridgemount; make sure your locker's cleared out within the hour!"

Ben snorted. "Boss, I'll never forget you…no matter _how_ hard I try." Bummer just scowled back, before he turned, and strode off.

Emma was reeling. "You're…you're _leaving?_" she cried.

Johnny was just as shaken as Emma was. "Ben, aren't you overreacting?"

"No, Johnny, I'm not," Ben said firmly. "I had all night to think about this: putting aside the disaster between Lo and I right now, me being here is just going to draw all of you into the crossfire – trust me, I've made a _lot_ more enemies than just the Forever Knights." He lowered his gaze. "At the moment, just being near Lo hurts. I don't belong here; not anymore, at least."

Emma shook her head. "Ben, Lo's hurting, too! If you leave, it'll crush her!"

Ben turned away. "She'll get over it," he muttered. He looked back over his shoulder. "It was awesome meeting you guys; I just wish it could've been under better circumstances." With that, he walked away, heading outside.

Panicking, Emma turned to Johnny. "Johnny, get the guys and _stall_ Ben! Don't let him leave!" she cried. "I have to find Lo!" Johnny nodded in reply, as he sprinted off, while Emma dashed towards the locker room, hoping that she wasn't too late…

XXXXXXXX

_Locker Room, a few minutes earlier_

"So, have you and Ben talked, yet?"

After her and Fin's surf-sesh, Lo and her fellow grom had quickly headed to the locker-room; Lo had just stepped out of her change-room, wearing her uniform when Fin asked that question. Her eyes narrowed. "Who?"

Sighing, Fin walked out of her own change-room, wearing her own uniform. "You know, Ben? Brown hair, green eyes, and superpowered watch? The guy you like?"

Lo shrugged. "I cannot recall anyone I like with that name," she said. "Unless of course you're referring to the two-faced – no, _ten_-faced – liar who's been leading me – _all_ of us – around by the nose, this whole time!"

Fin frowned. "Okay, overreacting much?" she retorted. "Yeah, Ben kept quiet about that gizmo, but what else _could_ he do? He couldn't put "changes into aliens" on his job application!"

"Uh, _why_ are you defending him?" Lo snapped back. "You were all gung-ho about blowing the lid off this mystery!"

"Well, yeah," Fin admitted, "but that kinda fell to the wayside when Ben _saved_ our _lives!_" Her expression turned guilty. "And then when you walked off, last night, Gwen and Kevin kinda told us about some of the stuff they did before Ben came here; Lo, if you had any idea what he's been through…"

Lo had had enough. "I _so_ don't _CARE!_" she shouted. "I'm not interested in his lame excuses, Fin! Because of him, my own father thought I was crazy, and so did _you_, for a while! Then we all get dragged off and nearly _killed_ by a bunch of psychos in armour, all because the guy we _thought_ was our friend kept us in the dark!"

Fin's eyes narrowed. "Well, we've all gotten over it, Ridgemount; why can't you?"

"I _am_ over him!" Lo declared. "I'll be perfectly civil to him on the job, and as long as he stays on _his_ side of the hotel and the Office when off-duty, the rest of the summer will be just fine!"

Fin was about to respond, but her reply died away as a winded Emma dashed into the locker-room. "Ben…Bummer…letter…quit…stop!"

Fin arched an eyebrow. "Uh…sorry, Alberta, but we don't really speak Wheeze."

Emma managed to catch her breath. "_Ben's leaving!_" she cried. "Johnny and I just heard him say it! He's quitting!"

Fin's eyes bugged out. "_WHAT?_"

Emma nodded frantically. "He just gave Bummer his resignation letter; he practically told him to take that job and _stuff it!_"

Fin paled. "Okay, as much as I'd have _loved_ to see Bummer freak out, we have to stop Ben!"

Lo was silent for a few seconds, but she recovered her frown fast. "Why? If Tennyson wants to punk out, _let_ him!"

Emma looked stricken. "Lo, how can you _say_ that? You two were so happy together!"

"That was _before_ I found out the truth, Emma!"

Fin's eyes narrowed. "You know, yesterday Gwen said she wondered _why_ Ben saved your keister, Ridgemount," she snapped. "Frankly, now _I'm_ starting to wonder!"

Lo's eyes went wide at that, before she huffed. "_Fine!_" With that, she walked off, heading for the DR.

As Lo walked into the DR, heading into the kitchen, the first sight that greeted her was an annoyed Kelly. "You're late, Ridgemount!" she snapped. "Tables 2 and 7 are waiting on their orders!"

Lo sighed to herself. "I'll get right on it, Kelly…"

Kelly started to walk off, opening the door. "While you're at it, tell me what's taking Mackenzie so long; she's five minutes – _HEY!_"

Startled by Kelly's exclamation, Lo turned around, in time to see none other than Gwen walk into the kitchen just as Kelly was walking out. "Gwen?" she asked. "What are you doing here?"

Kelly was even less impressed. "_EXCUSE_ me!" she snapped. "DR patrons are _not_ allowed back here! _Beat_ it!"

Gwen paid Kelly absolutely _no_ mind; her eyes narrowed, she simply grabbed the door that Kelly had opened, and slammed it right into her face, knocking her out cold, before turning that coldly furious emerald gaze on _her._

"You. Me. Talk. _Now._"

Lo was suddenly _very_ conscious of the fact that she was now the _only_ one in the kitchen besides the chef, who was _far_ in the back, oblivious to what was happening. She took a deep breath. "I-In case you haven't noticed, I have _work_ to do; I don't have time…"

Gwen did not let her finish – Lo's statement was cut off as a mauve energy-beam shot from Gwen's hand, wrapping around Lo like a fist and slamming her against the wall hard enough to knock the wind from her.

The green of Gwen's narrowed eyes was replaced by an inhuman mauve _glow_. "_**MAKE**__ time._"

Lo managed to catch her breath. "Okay, fine!" she snapped. Slowly, Gwen's energy-beam melted away, while the glow in her eyes faded. "I don't get why you're flavoured at me; I'm the victim, here! I got kidnapped by those kooks in tin cans because Ben _lied_ to me!"

"Oh, get _over_ yourself, Ridgemount!" Gwen hissed. "_You're_ the victim? Who was it that the Forever Knights were _really_ after? Who was it that walked _right_ up to Connor and put his _head_ on the line? It sure wasn't _you!_" Her fists clenched. "After what's happened to Ben in the past because of the Omnitrix, he doesn't owe _anyone_ – especially some ungrateful, spoiled _brat_ – anything!"

That point made Lo pause, but she was still too mad to back down. "Well, maybe it wouldn't have even happened if _somebody_ had told me that I needed to watch out for armoured nutjobs, but I was flying blind!" she shot back. "How am I supposed to trust Ben after…"

"_Shut UP!_" Gwen exploded. "You don't know a single _thing_ about him, Ridgemount! If you did, you'd _never_ say that!" She calmed down. "Ben only told you _half_ the story, Lo; yeah, he got the Omnitrix when he was 10, but he left out the worst part. Those first couple of weeks he had it? He spent them ducking an intergalactic warlord named Vilgax who wanted it for himself!" She snorted. "Let me repeat that: he was only _ten years old_, and he got rocketed right to the top of a warlord's hit-list!"

Lo froze. "W-What?"

Gwen kept right on going. "And this guy Vilgax was _majorly_ nasty, Ridgemount – he probably moonlit as a boogeyman in his off-hours!" she said. "We're talking over _fifteen_ feet tall, all muscle and cybernetics, red eyes, tentacles from his face, and a personality that could make Adolf Hitler look like Mary-freaking-_Poppins!_ _That's_ who was chasing after my cousin! He actually caught Ben once, and was going to take the Omnitrix from him! How, you ask? By _ripping off his ARM!_" Her narrowed eyes started to mist over. "Ben was even younger than your baby brother when all this happened, Ridgemount; what do you think your brother would have done?" She snorted. "Hell, what would _you_ have done?"

Lo knew how George would have reacted: he'd have raced right under her bed…which was where _she'd_ have been.

"Oh, you think that's all that happened, Lo? Think again!" Gwen said. "A couple weeks after that, the Omnitrix starts acting up; at first, we thought it was a glitch, until a friend of ours – Tetrax – stops by and tells us that the Omnitrix has triggered its Self-Destruct Mode, and if we don't find its creator fast, it's going to _blow up_ and take Ben – and the entire _universe_ – along with it! We had to road-trip all over the _galaxy_ to track this guy down and convince him to stop the countdown, which almost ended with Ben getting _fried_ from the watch's energy-surges!"

Lo didn't dare speak.

"And then, when summer was _over_, we managed to get the Omnitrix off of Ben, so he could finally have a normal life!" Gwen continued. "For a couple of years, it worked, until Grandpa Max disappears and Earth gets invaded by a bunch of racist, elitist aliens called the Highbreed, who believed that every other intelligent species in the universe was inferior, and had to be exterminated to make way for them! Ben didn't even _hesitate_ to strap that watch back on – knowing full well that he might _never_ get it off, again – and goes after them, which eventually ends up with us and our friends facing down the entire Highbreed armada _and_ their Council, at which point Ben uses the Omnitrix to _heal_ their entire race, saving Earth and the universe along with it! _Again!_"

Her eyes narrowed. "So tell me, Ridgemount: _still_ feel entitled to Ben's secret?"

Lo was shocked silent.

Gwen snorted to herself. "But even then, Ben was still going to tell you!" she continued. "Despite what happened with his last girlfriend – despite my own common-sense advice – he was going to tell you the truth! Even before the Forever Knights came into the picture, he'd been planning to tell you, knowing full well you could freak out!" Her scowl grew. "Like you _did._"

Lo felt guilt clench at her insides.

"Why, you ask?" Gwen finished. "I mean, that's what I wondered!" She shook her head. "For some reason, Ben cares about you – so much that he was going to put his neck on the line! He thought that, in spite of everything, you were a decent person! That should tell you _everything_ you need to know about him!" Her scowl returned. "So you know what? Go ahead! _Be_ a spoiled little brat! _Prove_ Ben wrong! You'll just be hurting someone who, for reasons I will _never_ understand, cares about you, and disappointing four others!" She turned to go. "But so what, right? I mean, since _when_ does Lauren Ridgemount care about _anybody_ but herself?" With that, she walked off.

In a state of utter shock, Lo found herself alone again. Still numb, she felt herself pick up the orders for tables 2 and 7, before she walked out of the kitchen, delivering the orders, before she walked towards her next table, to take another order…only to bump into Emma as she ran into the DR. "Lo, what are you doing?" she cried. "Ben is getting ready to _go!_ You have to talk to him!"

Lo's voice was a whisper, still reeling from what she'd heard. "I…I don't know…"

Emma's eyes narrowed. "Lo, are you kidding me? You're just going to let the guy who, in your own words, gave you the Best Kiss of Your Life – who could very well be your _soulmate_ – walk out of your life?" she shouted. "Why? Just because he lied about something?" She kept right on going. "Well, let's just ignore that for now, Lo; does that one lie automatically cancel out _all_ the wonderful things you know about him? _No!_"

Her voice dropped into a whisper. "And you're ignoring the truth about him, Lo: Ben is a real, honest-to-goodness _superhero!_ He could be using that watch for so many other things – most of them involving get-rich-quick schemes – but he's using it to _help_ people…like he saved _you!_ Several times, in fact! Does that sound like a guy you want out of your life?"

Lo was still silent.

Emma sighed. "You know, I really thought you were better than that, Lauren," she said, "but I guess I was wrong." With that, she walked off.

Lo could still feel her feet moving, but she was miles away, her mind racing backwards…

"…_I just thought you might help your friend!_"

"_You've got a bunch of real friends, now…we're not gonna leave you hanging…count on it…_"

"_That day I got hired…I didn't hurt you, did I…_"

"_You're awesome, Lo…_"

"_You never know what's right under your nose…even if it's absolutely amazing…_"

"…_I'm going to get you out of this…_"

"_I am __**not**__ going to let anything happen to you…_"

"Lo?"

Shaken out of her memories of Ben, Lo turned towards that voice; somehow, she'd wandered over to her family's table, where her Mom, Ty, and George were sitting. "Lo, that's the third time Mom's called out to you," Ty said. "Everything okay?"

Lo's lip quivered, as she fought back tears. '_Oh, God, what's WRONG with me? H-How could I have SAID all that to him? And now he's…he's gonna…Ben's…_'

Gloria noticed the tears forming in her daughter's eyes. Instantly standing, she put her hands on Lo's shoulders. "Honey, what's the matter?"

Lo felt her tears spill out of her eyes. "I…I screwed up, Mom," she sniffled. "Oh, _God,_ I screwed up so _bad!_"

George snorted. "So what else is new!"

"_George!_" Gloria snapped, silencing her son, before turning back to Lo. "Oh, sweetie…"

Lo's tone turned frantic. "I-I have to fix it!" she cried. "I h-have to talk to Daddy! Please, Mommy, you have to let me fix it!"

Gloria smiled sadly. "Honey, I know you don't want to hear this, but I think you're going to have to accept working at the hotel for a while; your father's still dead-set on you learning responsibility. Now, you have been working hard, and he knows that, but still…"

"I'm not _talking_ about the party, Mom! I'm talking about something _worse!_" Lo wailed. "I-I may have just made the biggest mistake of my _life_ yesterday, and I have to fix it before it's too late!"

Ty's eyes went wide. "Whoa…sis, what'd you _do?_"

Lo ignored him. "_Please_, Mommy! You have to let me fix this! _Please!_"

Gloria was silent for a moment, before she looked to Ty. "Tyler, you have your penthouse key, don't you?" Ty nodded. "Your father should still be in his office in the penthouse; take your sister up to see him."

Ty gulped. "Mom, Dad'll go ballistic if I let Lo back in…"

"Just tell him _I_ told you to do it," Gloria said. "Right now, your sister needs to talk to her father."

Ty sighed. "Okay, okay!" he relented, standing up. "Come on, Lo…"

Lo was already in motion, grabbing her brother's wrist. "_Thank_ you, Mommy!" she exclaimed, before she bolted off, dragging her brother behind her.

After an elevator-ride that took _way_ too long, the elevator stopped at the penthouse level, prompting Ty to use his key to open the door. "Okay, Lo, we're here, so this better not be some scheme to get back in…"

But as the elevator doors opened, Lo had already darted off, racing past their amphitheater-sized living-room, complete with plush couch and 50-inch plasma-screen TV, past her room with its feather-soft bed and closet full of designer clothes, and stopped outside her father's office. Reaching for the door, she paled as she heard him: "This…this really surprises me, Andrew; you say that _Ben_ gave you this?"

Bummer's voice answered him. "I'm 100 percent positive, sir! He handed me his resignation, himself!"

Her father's voice turned somewhat sad. "Well…if you say so, Andrew; I must say, I'm disappointed to hear…"

Without thinking, Lo threw the office doors open, her scream already leaving her throat. "_NOOOOOOOOO!_"

Bummer nearly leapt out of his uniform, while James' eyes narrowed angrily, with Ben's opened letter in his hand. "_Lauren?_ What are you doing here? I thought I told you…"

"I _know,_ Daddy! I _know_ I'm not supposed to be here!" Lo cried, rushing up to her father's desk. "You can punish me for it however you like: make me clean toilets, scrub pools, or clean up the beach! I'll even work as a _janitor!_" She sniffled. "Just…just get _rid_ of that letter! Tear it up, shred it, turn it into a paper airplane, burn it – I don't _care!_" Tears flowed down her eyes. "Just…just act like you never saw it, Daddy; I'll do anything if you just forget whatever Andy just told you…"

James just stared at Lo for a few long seconds, and then frowned. "Lauren, I just finished reading it," he answered. "I was quite disappointed."

At those words, everything in Lo just _stopped_; her breathing, her thinking, and even her heartbeat all stood stock-still, her entire world tottering, ready to come crashing down, as tears leaked from her eyes…

James took a deep breath, and sighed. "I mean, honestly, did Benjamin use a faulty printer, or is his penmanship that bad? I can't make heads or tails of this letter!"

Lo's heart started beating again, cautiously, almost not daring to believe what she'd just heard. "W-What?"

Bummer was just as shocked. "S-Sir, it…it's as plain as day!" he said, smiling nervously. "I-I can see it from here…"

"I know how to read, Andrew," James admonished flatly. "If I say that a letter's unreadable, then it's unreadable. Are you calling me a liar?"

Bummer flinched. "N-No, sir! Never!"

"Good." Turning towards his daughter, James gave one brief knowing wink. "Well, Lauren, if Ben has something he has to say to me, he can say it to my face," he said. "You make sure to tell him that."

Lo's tears turned joyful as a radiant smile crossed her face. '_Oh, THANK you, Daddy! Thank you, thank you, THANK you!_' "I will, Daddy!" she exclaimed. "I-I'll go tell him, right now!"

With that, Lo turned and raced out of the office, passing by Ty on her way out. "So…you were freaked out over Ben quitting?"

Lo paused, sighing. "I don't have time for this, Tyler!" she said. "Right now, I have to go fix an even _bigger_ mistake than that party!" Before her brother could respond, she zipped into the elevator, taking it back down.

Some time ago, she'd thought getting kicked out of the penthouse had been the worst day of her life…but she'd been seriously wrong.

The worst day of her life could very well be _today_, if she didn't fix this; she only hoped she wasn't too late…

XXXXXXXX

_A few minutes earlier_

"Dude, aren't you kinda overreacting?"

Emerging from the lobby, Fin was just in time to hear Broseph's inquiry. Walking up next to where Broseph, and Reef stood, she fixed Ben with an imploring gaze as their fellow grom waited for his two pals, his gear in hand. "Ben, can't we all just talk about this?"

His expression forlorn, Ben looked at her over his shoulder. "There's nothing to talk about, Fin; I've already handed in my resignation."

Reef frowned. "You're quitting over a _betty_, bro?" he asked. "I mean, come on! If that's what's up your butt, just leave it to the Reefster – I'll have you hooked up with a new honey in no time…"

Ben rolled his eyes. "I'm leaving, Reef, because I was _stupid_ to think I could fit in here."

Fin scowled. "So one little hurdle comes up, and you just punk out?" she snapped. "That's _weak_, States!"

Ben fixed her with a firm eye. "Fin, have you ever had your heart stomped on _twice_ in less than six months?"

Fin hesitated. "No."

Ben sighed. "Then no offence, McCloud, but you don't get to _have_ an opinion."

Fin folded her arms. "Well, forgive me for being flavoured that one of my best friends is leaving!"

Ben looked just as sad as she was. "I'm not fussy about it either," he replied, "but this is how it has to be."

Broseph frowned grimly. "But, dude, think of all the choice waves you're passing up!" he urged. "I mean, we get to surf the _Office_, bro! How can you walk away from that?"

"Because I have to, Broseph," Ben said. "It was irresponsible of me to put you guys in danger; I'm not going to do that again."

By then, Gwen and Kevin had pulled up in Kevin's car; as Ben stashed his duffel bag in the trunk, and then strapped his board to the roof, Gwen leaned out the window. "You ready to go?"

"Almost, Gwen," Ben answered. "I just…need to say my good-byes."

As Ben turned back towards them, Emma, in uniform, ran out of the hotel. Seeing Ben step away from the car, she sniffled. "You're…you're really doing this, Ben?"

"I really have to, Emma," Ben answered. His expression saddened. "I guess Lo's not coming." Emma could only stare forlornly. "I guess I shouldn't be surprised."

As Ben walked towards him, Broseph sighed sadly. "Guess it was kinda dumb for us to think a real-live superhero would stay here, bro," he said. He gave Ben a brotherly hug. "Rock on, Hero Dude."

Ben smiled wearily. "I'll try."

Seeing Ben approach, Reef looked forlorn. "Look, I'm not gonna go all mushy, okay, bro?" he said. "It was just…cool having you around." He simply raised his fist.

Chuckling, Ben did the same, tapping his knuckles to Reef's. "I'll miss you too, Reef."

Fin's arms were folded as Ben walked towards her. "I still say you're making a huge mistake."

Ben sighed, as he held up his wrist with the Omnitrix. "It wouldn't be the first time."

Her expression turning sad, Fin snared him in a bear-hug. "You'd _better_ come visit me up on the East Coast, sometime," she warned, "because if you don't, superpowered watch or not, I'll catch the first flight out to Bellwood and kick your butt up and down the road!"

Ben chuckled. "Count on it, Fin," he promised, which just made her hug him harder.

As Ben stepped away from Fin, Emma sniffled more as he walked towards her. "P-Please, Ben, don't do this," she pleaded. "Lo's just upset; she'll come around…"

"No, Emma, I don't think she will," Ben said sadly. "It wouldn't be fair of me to expect her to, after what happened; it's better this way."

Emma sniffled again. "But…you don't have to leave…"

Ben's smile was wistful. "That's how it goes, Em; when the battle's won, the hero just walks off into the sunset." He chuckled as he glanced at the noon sun. "Or at least they do if the sun is setting; I guess I timed it wrong." Now it was Emma's turn to chuckle, as she pulled him into a good-bye hug.

Sitting in the driver's seat, an annoyed Kevin rolled down the window. "Ben, can we wrap this up, already?"

In the passenger seat next to him, Gwen frowned. "Kevin! A little sensitivity, please?"

Ben half-smiled at the exchange. "I guess that's my cue," he said. "It was awesome, meeting all of you."

Broseph nodded sadly. "Likewise, bro."

Ben's face turned truly sad, now. "And…tell Lo…I'm so sorry all this happened," he whispered. With that, he opened the back door, and got in. "Kevin…_punch_ it." With a smirk, Kevin pulled out of the parking lot, driving onto the highway…where he gunned the engine, driving off at speeds that could make a NASCAR driver envious.

Ben was gone.

Watch Kevin's car go, Reef whistled. "Man, that car's got some serious horsepower."

Fin frowned, elbowing him. "Our friend is _gone_, and that's all you can say?"

"What? It does!"

Before anyone could say anything else, a familiar voice called from inside the lobby. "_Ben!_ Ben, wait!" Seconds later, Lo raced out of the lobby. "W-Where's Ben?"

Emma sniffled. "He's gone, Lo. He and his friends just left."

Lo's hopeful smile collapsed. "W-What? No…no, he can't be!"

"He _is_," Fin muttered. "I sure hope you're proud of yourself, Princess." At that, Lo flinched, before her expression turned determined, as she darted off, back into the hotel.

Broseph just sighed. "Man, all this harshness is bumming me out big times, bros…" he began, but he paused, hearing a motor revving. "Hey, you guys hear that..?"

Seconds later, Lo's jeep roared out of the hotel garage, with Lo in the driver's seat. "Which way did they go?"

It took Fin a few seconds to respond. "They…they headed east!" she said. "They're probably heading for the wharf to get the ferry; that's the only way off the island!"

Reef nodded. "Yeah, but they're probably halfway there by now; that car had some wicked horsepower!" he exclaimed. "You'll never catch them!"

"I will if I use a _shortcut!_" Lo declared. With that, she gunned the engine, peeling out and racing away from the hotel, onto the highway, before taking a sudden left…going _off-road._

Fin just blinked…and then smiled. "Huh; there's hope for that girl, yet…"

XXXXXXXX

"_Feeling lonely? Heartbroken? Depressed? Just call 1-800-55…_"

"Next."

_Click!_ "_Ohhh…you're gonna lose her…_"

"Next."

_Click!_ "_How could you have dumped me, Anne? I thought we had something…_"

"Next."

_Click!_ "_This one's for all you jilted lovers out there…_"

Leaning his head back against the back seat, Ben groaned. "Next."

Kevin frowned as he clicked the radio's dial. "Look, Ben, will you just pick something already?"

Gwen's hand on his arm quieted him. "Kevin," she chided, before she looked back to her cousin. "Are you sure you're okay, Ben?"

Ben sighed. "Oh, sure. I'm just aces." As he spoke, the current radio-station began its next song: Don Henley's "Boys of Summer." "There; that's as good as any."

Kevin shrugged. "If you say so."

Groaning again, Ben looked out the window, taking in the sight of the azure sky above the sparkling blue of the waves lapping the shore, letting the music of the lone Eagle drift across his mind…and bringing thoughts of her with it…

_Lo angrily huffing at him as she stormed out of her father's office, that first day…_

_Lo looking so surprised when he saved her from Kelly's hot-oil treatment…_

_Lo challenging him on the Office after those kooks had been scared off…_

_Lo reassuring him – in her own way – after his disaster of a date with Cecilia…_

_Lo crying and upset after Heidi had ditched her…and smiling after he'd reassured her…_

_Lo looking at him when they'd been supposedly stranded…and when they'd been alone in that geode…_

_Lo smiling…_

_Lo laughing…_

_Lo inching up to him, inviting him to…_

Ben groaned to himself, shaking his head to clear it…and failing – even now, he could practically see Lo's image against the sky, her chestnut hair waving in the breeze as she smiled…

Not even memories of _Julie_ had tormented him like this.

'_I have to forget her,_' he told himself. '_I'll feel better once I put some distance between me and Surfer's Paradise, that's all._' "Kevin, how long until we reach the ferry?"

Kevin glanced over his shoulder. "Just a couple more minutes, Ben; after that, it's bye-bye Sunset Beach…"

_HOOOONK! SCRRREEEEEEE!_

His remark was cut off by tires screeching to their side, as a jeep barrelled out of the brush, almost plowing into them; by reflex, Kevin swerved to avoid the jeep, spinning out and coming to a stop facing the opposite direction, while the jeep stopped in front of them. Kevin's eyes narrowed. "What the _hell?_"

Mildly shaken, Ben looked out the window…and did a double-take. "_LO?_"

Getting out of her jeep, a distraught Lo looked pleadingly at them as Ben, Gwen, and Kevin got out of the car. Kevin was not amused. "You _better_ not have dinged my car, princess."

Frowning, Lo put her hands on her hips. "If I did, just send my dad the bill; he can take it out of my wages!" she answered. As she met Ben's gaze, her expression turned forlorn. "We need to talk."

Gwen's eyes narrowed. "Haven't you already done enough?"

Lo sniffled. "Please?"

Ben sighed. "Fine."

Gwen looked worried. "Ben…"

"I'm a big boy, Gwen; I can look after myself," Ben said. "This probably isn't going to take long."

Gwen didn't look entirely convinced, but she nodded. "We'll be over here." Taking Kevin's hand, she led him a few feet back, towards the trunk of the car.

Keeping a flat expression, Ben folded his arms. "You wanted to talk?" he asked. "So talk."

Lo smiled nervously. "Can't we _both_ talk?"

"I got nothing to say," Ben muttered. "After being told we shouldn't have even started dating is kind of a conversation-killer."

Lo flinched. "I…I deserved that," she sniffled. "Ben…I…I know it sounds so lame, but I'm so…"

"So _what_, Lo? Sorry?" Ben snapped. "Why? You were absolutely _right!_" He held up his left wrist. "This _is_ why Julie broke up with me; she wanted a normal life…which is the one thing I _can't_ give, no matter how much I want to!" He lowered his head. "You didn't know what you were getting into, Lauren."

Lo sniffled. "Maybe not," she agreed. "But now I _do…_"

"Yeah, you do!" Ben said. "And you freaked out, just like Julie basically did! It just didn't take you as long!"

"I'm not freaking out _now_, Ben!" Lo cried. "I…I had time to think about it! I was _wrong_ to say that, Ben! God, I was so _wrong!_"

"Well, what about the next time, Lo?" Ben shouted. "What about the _next_ time one of my enemies comes calling? Or how about when some _new_ threat to Earth pops up? How long before _you_ go running for the hills like Julie did?"

Lo stiffened. "I _won't!_"

Ben's eyes narrowed. "You can't promise that, Lauren," he said firmly. "You can't know the future." He folded his arms. "How can I believe that you aren't going to start wanting a normal life, the next time abnormal comes calling?"

Lo looked stricken, as she struggled for the right words…and found them. Her eyes narrowed firmly, as she looked him in the eye. "Because _Ridgemounts never settle_, Ben!" she declared. "Maybe this Julie chick did want a normal life, but I am _not_ her! I'm not settling for just "normal"; I _want_ the big picture, and everything in it! And yes, I _don't_ know the future, okay? I don't know what that big picture is going to be…but I _do_ now that, at least for today, I want you _in_ it!"

She started to sniffle. "I just forgot that for a _minute_, okay? I got freaked out by seeing my boyfriend change into an alien superhero! I got scared by something _no-one_ in Sunset Beach has ever seen before, and it made me forget how absolutely awesome and romantic and _wonderful_ you are! I'm human! _Sue_ me!" she said. "I made a mistake! God, I have made so _many_ mistakes in my life before now, it isn't even funny!"

Her sniffles grew, as her eyes turned misty. "But I don't want my latest mistake to be…to be saying goodbye to you," she whimpered. "So, p-please, Ben…p-please, I'm begging you…"

Her lower lip quivered, while tears streamed down her eyes. "…_d-don't go…_"

When Ben had left Surfer's Paradise, he'd been ready to put dating and romance behind him forever; he didn't need it – didn't need the drama, the heartbreak, or _any_ of it. Dealing with the aftermath of Julie had been tough enough; dealing with losing Lo would have been the straw to break the camel's back, and he'd been ready to _tell_ Lo that…

…but now, staring into her hurt, pleading, beautifully tear-streaked face…

…he just _couldn't._

Ben flinched, his eyes scrunching shut. "But you…I was almost…_arrgghh!_" he muttered, looking away. He looked back. "I thought…how can…_ARRGGHH!_"

Calming down, he looked into Lo's pleading amethyst eyes…and he was lost.

He knew what he had to do.

Turning to Gwen and Kevin, he just shrugged. "It's official: I am the biggest, dumbest kook in Sunset Beach."

Gwen blinked. "Ben..?"

Turning back to Lo, he sighed, smiling. "So, can I get a ride back with you, or should I ask Gwen and Kevin for one?"

The radiant smile that shone from Lo's face, refracted through tears, told Ben that he'd made the right call.

Before Ben could even move, Lo practically pounced on him with a kiss, her arms wrapping around his neck as she pulled him down to her; enfolding her in his arms, Ben returned the kiss, deepening it, and allowing her to lift her feet from the ground, easily supporting her.

Gwen groaned. "Uh, boy."

Kevin slapped his forehead. "Like I said: here we go again."

As their kiss died away, Ben held Lo close as she nuzzled into his chest. "I'm sorry, Ben," she whimpered. "I am so, so sorry; I was being a total brat…"

Ben just hugged her closer. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you," he whispered, "and I'm sorry I almost left…"

And then the realization of what he'd done hit him. "Oh, God…" he groaned. "Lo, I am an _idiot;_ before I left, I told Bummer I quit, right to his face…"

Lo giggled. "I wouldn't worry about that," she cooed.

Ben blinked. "Huh?"

"That's why I didn't come see you when you were leaving!" Lo said. "I was taking care of that!"

Ben started to smile. "What did you do?"

Lo giggled. "Come back to the hotel and find out!"

Ben grinned. "Okay."

After Gwen and Kevin had gotten back in the car, while Ben hopped in Lo's jeep with her, they all drove back to the hotel; as they arrived, Ben saw the others – all looking quite surprised to see him – standing at the entrance, along with Bummer, Johnny, and Mr. Ridgemount. Seeing Ben hop out, followed by Lo, Gwen, and Kevin, James frowned, holding up Ben's letter. "Andrew said this was from you, Benjamin."

Ben gulped. "Uh, yeah…about that, sir…"

"You suddenly forgot how to type in English?"

Ben blinked. "Huh?"

"You call this typing? It looks like chicken-scratches?" James muttered, tearing it up. "If you have anything to say to me, you can say it to my face! Well?"

Slowly, Ben glanced at Lo, who just shrugged prettily. Smiling, he turned back to Mr. Ridgemount. "I thought I did, sir…but as it turns out, I don't."

"Good."

Bummer paled. "B-But, sir…Tennyson _quit!_ I _heard_ him! He said it right to my face!"

Smiling, Emma quickly caught on. "_I_ didn't hear anything."

Bummer glared at her, before turning to Johnny. "Johnny, you were there! You heard Tennyson quit! _Tell_ him!"

Johnny blinked, looking nervous, until he caught Emma's pleading gaze. "Uh…actually, sir, I was looking at my console while you were talking to Ben; if he did say that, I didn't hear him."

Bummer almost choked. "B-But…but he..!"

"Andrew." Mr. R.'s hand was on Bummer's shoulder. "Isn't it possible that you just misunderstood Benjamin?"

Bummer looked ready to cry. "I…I suppose so, sir."

"Good." His gaze turning stern, James looked at all of them. "In that case, I think it's time all of you got to work."

Ben grinned. "We're on it, sir."

Lo nodded. "We will, Daddy."

As Mr. Ridgemount and the distraught Bummer walked off, Emma squealed with joy as she hugged Johnny. "_Thank_ you, Johnny!" she exclaimed. "You totally saved the day!"

Johnny smiled stupidly. "Hey, I may not have a superpowered watch, but I have my moments."

Broseph grinned. "So, does this mean you're staying, bro?"

Ben chuckled. "If you guys are willing to hang out with a one-man freak-show."

Fin laughed. "Sorry, States; _that_ position's been taken by Chowderhead, here. You're gonna have to settle for "resident superhero.""

Ben groaned. "Guys, I am _not_ a superhero."

Kevin chuckled. "We're actually somewhere between intergalactic saviours and space-legends."

Gwen rolled her eyes. "Thank you, Captain Modesty."

Reef smirked. "Yeah, you can still hang with us," he said. "One thing though." He grinned. "Next time some bad guy shows up…mind if I try using that watch?"

Ben, Gwen, and Kevin all went ghostly pale. Ben recovered first, his eyes narrowing. "_Hell. NO._"

Fin rolled her eyes. "Are you serious, kook? You actually thought he'd lend the most powerful device in the _universe_ to _you?_"

"What, you think he'd lend it to a betty?"

Gwen huffed. "_Excuse_ me?" she snapped. "What is _that_ supposed to mean, you chauvinistic _moron?_"

"_Thank_ you!" Fin declared.

"_Guys!_" Emma exclaimed. "We're forgetting the most important part!" Beaming, she glanced to Ben and Lo. "Are you two…okay?"

Blushing, Lo laced her fingers with Ben's. "What do you think?"

Emma was about to squeal again, but she was drowned out as the police-scanner in Kevin's car flared to life. "_…all units be advised: the suspension-bridge to the east industrial sector is collapsing; establish roadblocks to and from the eastern sector, and mobilize all medical units…_"

By reflex, Ben's left wrist was already in motion; popping up the control-dial, he started cycling through it, selecting Jetray…before he stopped, retracting the dial. "Uh…"

Johnny shrugged. "I think I can tweak the schedule so you go on break a little early."

Fin nodded. "And if Bummer asks, we can keep him diverted long enough for you to get back."

Broseph grinned. "So go on, bro: do your hero thing."

Ben smiled. "Thanks, guys." He turned to Gwen and Kevin. "I'll meet you guys there, okay?"

Gwen and Kevin had already gotten back in the car. "Got it," Gwen agreed.

Kevin grinned. "And now the vacation can _really_ start!" With that, the two of them drove off, while Ben darted to the side, slipping out of sight.

Once he was safely hidden behind some of the hotel's hedges, Ben was about to pop up the dial, when a familiar voice interrupted him. "Does this happen often?"

Looking over his shoulder, Ben smiled back at Lo. "Pretty much."

Lo's smile grew. "You just hear the call to action, and race off to save the day?"

Ben shrugged. "If you want out, now's the time to say it."

Lo sighed. "I suppose I can deal."

"Good to know." With that, Ben popped up the control-dial, which showed the image of a new alien – one with two curved spikes growing from his shoulders, and a levitating head. "Huh, never saw him before; I'll have to try him out later," he mused, selecting Jetray. "Okay, Lo; you'd better step back."

Smiling, Lo did so. "See you afterwards?"

Grinning, Ben nodded. "Count on it, Lo; this boy of summer isn't going _anywhere!_" With that, he lifted his right arm. "_Hero time!_"

And he slammed it down.

_THE END_

_Author's Note:_

_And there you have it: the end of the first part of the Hanging Ten saga! For those of you who have asked, I do plan to do a sequel; in fact, I have a number of sequels planned for this story! I still have a lot of material I want to cover, so you can all rest easy; the story of Ben, Lo, and our favourite groms isn't over yet!_

_Having said that, I'm afraid I probably won't be able to start posting the next story in this saga until August at the earliest. There are three reasons for this: One, I haven't gotten started on the next story, and I prefer to start posting once I have several chapters ready to go; Two, I may be going out-of-province to work for the summer starting in May, and I'll need all my energy to get Last Son finished before then; and Three, I am just TIRED. Rest assured, I WILL continue this series; I just need a bit of a breather!_

_In closing, I would like to thank all of you, my readers, for all of your support! Because of all of you, my experiment with Hanging Ten was a resounding success! There will be many more stories to follow this one! In the meantime, you can check out the names of future stories in this saga on my profile page, to whet your imaginations for things to come!_

_Again, thank you all! Later!_


End file.
